It’s a break week in the Six Nations and normally this wouldmean a quiet week for top flight women’s rugby in general but thanks to a previouslycalled off game we get a little bit of Tyrrells Premier 15s action as SaracensWomen head to the RAG. We caught up with long-serving forward Sonia Greento talk about why this is always a special game, the season so far and her dayjob too.
“I’m itching to play actually, I can’t wait!” Sonia tells mewhen we catch up the evening before kick off. “The game got cancelled beforeChristmas, we were all fired up and ready to play on that Saturday and it gotcancelled last minute because of the weather.”
Cancelling a game is always frustrating and Richmond wouldhave been as disappointed as Saracens. For the visitors it has provided asurprising benefit though, with Bryony Cleall fit to take part after ayear out. “It’s a big game for us, Richmond is always a big game. There’s a lotof rivalry between us so for her to come back in this game is great for her andgreat for us. She’s going to be propping as well, she’s moved forward from theback row and been working on that but she didn’t have much chance to developthat because of injury so it’s exciting for her and helps her development aheadof the next Six Nations games.”
The fixtures between Richmond and Saracens are always playedwith an intensity that may surprise recent converts to the women’s game. Theysit toward opposite ends of the table these days but it’s a rivalry born out ofRichmond’s days dominating domestic women’s rugby. “There’s a lot of historythere!” Sonic tells me and I can hear the grin on her face from the other endof the line! “I’ve been at Sarries a few years now, I think it goes back to 30years ago when Saracens Women were founded. There weren’t so many ‘big names’involved then and it was Richmond and Sarries always at the top. Along withClifton (now Bristol Bears) and Worcester, they were the big 4 teams when Ifirst started playing. We were that London rivalry so it’s always been a derby.It’s been fiery on the pitch, you know when you go to Richmond there willalways be a good crowd, they have a passionate fanbase who have alwayssupported their women’s team well so you know there will be a noisy crowd whichmakes for a good game!”
“There’s always some drama too, this time with the gamebeing rearranged, which makes it a bit more exciting. I think it’s importantthat the younger players at Saracens – and Richmond too – know about that rivalrybecause it makes for a better game, definitely!”
Given the history of the fixture it’s particularly sad thatthis may be Richmond’s last season as part of the TP15s. Losing so much historyis always tough and rivalries are part of the experience for fans. “It is sad,there’s a lot of history at Richmond and to see that they’re had to retendermust be quite difficult for the whole club and the players as well. But youtake each game as they come and ultimately everyone will be focused on thatrather than what is going on behind the scenes!”
For all the rivalry though, Saracens are clear favourites towalk away with a win and put themselves at the top of the league table ahead ofthe return to full fixture lists in the spring. “Of course we’re favourites,they’ve only won one game. But, it’s Richmond and when we played them the firsttime this season it was a really tough game and although we won it didn’t feellike we were ahead the whole game. Look at their game against Worcester a fewweeks ago. Richmond came back, they got the first try. Worcester wereoutstanding and it’s great to see how they’ve been developing since Jo Yapp hascome onboard and they’ve had support from the club, but Richmond made acomeback and I think if they’d had a bit more time they might have won it. Youshouldn’t look at where they are in the table, they’ll make us work for everypoint!”
“I know we’ve got a big strong pack, but they’ve got a bigpack too and some decent players in the backs. They’ve got experience too, withRo Burnfield and Abi Chamberlain. I’ve played with both of them for a number ofyears for England and in 7s, they’re good players with real experience so it’llbe an interesting one!”
As much as she’s focused on the match a the weekend, Sonia ispart of the club in her day job too, as vice principal of Saracens High School,a perfect opportunity to align her career in teaching with her club. “I literallyhave my dream job! I don’t there’s any teacher in the country with a job likethis, there’s no other school aligned to a sports club! The fact that the clubI’ve played for the last 18 years have a school now, it’s a happy coincidenceand couldn’t be better so I’m very lucky!”
“It’s been tough at times, like juggling two jobs, but Ilove it. Seeing the kids at school in their Saracens blazers and with theirSaracens bags. We live and breathe the values!” It’s a pretty special conceptand for all that Saracens have come under the spotlight the amount they haveput into their community cannot be underestimated.
After 18 years in the game I suggest this role might beGreen’s legacy, that she’ll be remembered as the person who made a differencein the community as much as she has on the pitch “I hope so. When I firststarted teaching I set up a girls team at the school, but now girls are playingfrom a very young age. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to have that opportunity.The girls I teach have a tournament coming up on the first week back after halfterm and I’m going to be really proud to take them to Allianz Park. We’ve gotsome under 15s and under 13s girls teams playing before our game against Quins onthe 18th of April and I’m hoping to get a team from the school downas well. It’s fantastic in the crowd after the game seeing kids that I teach inthe crowd too. I know one of the governors from the school is taking some boysto the men’s game to watch and meet some of the players as well, it couldn’t bebetter really, it’s amazing for the kids!”
It’s clear Sonia is passionate about the work she and hercolleagues are doing at the High School but this weekend she’ll be putting MsGreen aside for a couple of hours as Sonic lines up in the back row to take onthe old enemy!
Comments
Post a Comment