Last week, I caught up with Reds and Wallaroos star Eva Karpani. We had an awesome catch up, in the middle of a busy training week, ahead of their “grudge match” against the Waratahs. Two days later, the team went on to win that game, to finish in the top four of the competition!
***The Reds play the Fijian Drua, away in Suva, for the semi-final, on Saturday July 18th at 11:05am.***
During our chat, Eva shared about her rugby journey, including what it’s been like coming to Ballymore and some
awesome advice for up and coming players! I hope you enjoy reading our conversation, as much as I enjoyed having it!
Yeah. This is my 2nd season here at Ballymore, I've loved it. I spent six seasons with the Waratahs and I thought this would be a great opportunity to be challenged elsewhere, and no better place to come than to the Queensland Reds.
Some do say I've seen the greener side, or I've seen the light, but yeah, I've loved it.
The two past two years, yeah, it's a different kind of experience. I'm an older head now, so I've loved every moment of it and I think the Queensland Reds are great.
That's awesome. I’m definitely glad you came! What are you looking forward to the most about the final game of the regular season against your old teammates in the Waratahs?
Yeah, what I'm looking forward to is just going up against them. It's, always fun playing with your mates, but going up against them is different. And I think it brings that competitiveness.
I've played with them, and I've gone through juniors and international rep with them. So, yeah, I'm excited to go up against them, but also challenge them in my own way, knowing how they play.
What's something unique about the training environment at Ballymore that not many people might know about?
I think what's so unique about the training environment at Ballymore is... I think the support we have from the men... I think, Les Kiss is absolutely lovely. The scrum coach, Zane is absolutely lovely. He's always taken the time, they've always taken the time to come downstairs and have a yarn with us.
I had a really good yarn with Zane, who was very, very welcoming and he said, if you need anything, come join in on the boys' session, come and watch wherever you're comfortable, but... I think something I do value, is that support from the men, it's more of a family from both sides, if that makes sense. Yeah.
Yes, Les and Zane are great value. Awesome people as well as coaches. What does a typical training week look like for you at the moment?
So usually that first session of the week. On Monday, it will be a bit of a fast day off of the back end of the game. So, we do a review, a bit of skills, and then lineup primers and some lineup plays.
And then, recovery day on a Tuesday... Wednesday is usually our scrum, scrum base, and also, it's 15 on 15, or 14 on 14, it varies with the numbers... It's more of our contact day.
Then Thursdays are usually our captain's run and our final touches before we head off. But this week, it was a bit different. We started on Tuesday. [Because game day was a day later, on Sunday.] So tonight [Friday] is our captain's run.
Can you tell us what first inspired you to play rugby?
Yeah, I think what first inspired me to play rugby was… I come from a big family, but I also come from South Australia. I come from a family of nine, so I have four sisters and four brothers.
I lost my parents at a very young age. I was always into sport, but I got into rugby at 15 and I found my sense of community there. And the thing that was so inspiring to me, and the reason I've spent my half my life now doing rugby is because it's for all shapes and sizes and it's no matter who you are or what you are, rugby will always love you.
That’s why I found rugby and gravitated towards it.
What have been some of the biggest challenges of your rugby career, and how did you overcome them?
Yep. I think, um, probably one of my biggest challenges was relocating to Sydney from Adelaide. So, Adelaide is my home, it's where I belong. But unfortunately, it doesn't provide what Queensland and New South Wales do, which is a strong competition and also the quality of the training environment.
I moved in 2018, and I was probably homesick for about three years. And then, and I was also learning a new position, which was tight head prop. And I came from playing wing originally, so... I think, I overcame it by… I’d put it this way… I left my home to go and do something great. So, I'm gonna continue to keep being great, no matter how long it takes, I'm gonna make sure that I make South Australia proud, because I'm only, the second Wallaroo from South Australia to represent the country. [The first was Lito 'Lee' Fata.]
Yeah, I think for big matches, on the big stage especially, but just in general, I prepare by… I like to be clean. So the night before, my bag is packed, the house is clean, the room is clean.
I like to fuel really well, but I also don't like to think of rugby. So, today for example, I'll do Captain's Run, and after that, I won't really think of the game. until game day.
And then I don't really start switching on, until probably about two hours outside of the game.
What some advice you would give to young up and coming players?
Yeah. I think the advice that I'd give to young up and coming players is... that rugby is for all shapes and sizes, but I think tough times, like, a quote that I stick by, to this day is, tough times don't last, tough people do. And another one is, when I'm in the trenches, is when I'm trying to work on something in my rugby career: You don't have to be great to start. We have to start to be great.
And I think... that's why I'm probably here, it's because time's got tough, but I guess I believed in myself to continue to move forward, and I guess, build my craft.
Awesome. What's a fun fact about you that most fans wouldn't know?
I think a fun fact about me is... it'd probably be about my family. I play rugby union for the Reds, but my sister actually plays for the NRLW Knights, so, she's a leaguey! So there's a big rivalry between the two of us.
What's your favourite post-game meal?
I don't know if you'll like or love my answer, but I love a nice double quarter powder from McDonald's. Not gonna lie!
There’s definitely a few boys from the Reds that like going to the same place, after their game!
Thanks heaps, Eva, for your time, especially during a very busy week. All the best against the Tahs! I can’t wait to watch. See you when you get back.
Oh thank you for having me. I love Q and A's, that's probably an interesting fact! But yeah, really appreciate your time as well Tom.
And also I would love to give you some kit. So the next time I see you, I'll make sure I have some. It looks like you need an updated cap, and I've got a few of them!
***Tune in to Stan Sport next Saturday (18th July) at 11:05am to watch the Reds play the Fijian Drua (away in Suva) in the SUPER W SEMI-FINAL.***
