Rugby is a girl’s game – a spotlight on DaniE
Roar Guru By Garth Hamilton, 26 Sep 2007 The Crowd is a Roar Guru
Garth Hamilton writes: DaniE, apart from moonlighting as the femme fatale of Spiro Zavos’ French odyssey, has been one of The Roar’s most loyal comments writers. Her love of rugby and all round enthusiasm for everything wrapped up in a green and gold jumper is easily read into her regular postings.
The Roar tried to get to know DaniE a little better and was happily afforded a view of rugby through a women’s eyes.
The Roar: What are your first sporting memories?
DaniE: In Year 6, I all of a sudden had a compulsion to join the new touch football team. Being the only girl, the boys made me captain. I thought that, to get any idea of what I was supposed to be doing, I should watch a game of rugby during the 91 World Cup. We had only one training session before we canned the team, but I really enjoyed watching the game (not sure which one) and became addicted to rugby. Best decision of my life. I had previously watched RL games and grand finals but they had never affected me the way rugby did. I just loved the way the game moved and the traditions of the sport.
The Roar: Who was your first sporting hero and why?
DaniE: The 1991 Wallabies were my heroes – the individual skill and nous which, when combined, resulted in a great team… Campo was probably up there and still is though. I remember my mother, sister and I doing the 1.5 hr drive up to St Ives where Campo had his sports store to buy a rugby ball and have it autographed by the man himself. I used to go to sleep hugging that football.
The Roar: You’ve mentioned the Australia v Ireland game in the 91 world cup as the game that got you into rugby. What other games stand out for you?
DaniE: Definitely the 1992 Bledisloe Cup series. It was so close, so dramatic and the moments of brilliance and inspiration in those games just gripped me. The controversy with Richard Loe got me boiling with rage! I started a scrapbook during that series which contains great snippets from rugby in that year and of the years later, especially from the 1994 Bledisloe Game. In 1995 though, I got quite upset during the ‘Rugby War’, and the scrapbook stopped.
The Roar: Where is Australian rugby headed?
DaniE: Hopefully towards becoming one of the premier sports in this country – based upon a strong player base founded in the juniors and geographically widespread. I think the ARC will be a good move towards that but I am nostalgic about the club competition I grew up with – the Shute Shield. Traditional clubs have been so much a part of the fabric of rugby in the past, I can only hope that interest in the ARC can see a boost in local player numbers to help develop the club comps in those areas.
The Roar: If you could take the best parts from Rugby, League, AFL and Soccer and mix them all into one game, what would those parts be?
DaniE: To be honest? After I got hooked on rugby those other sports just pass me by. I suppose I admire the way that league and AFL have had such a widespread following which is fostered by their administrations’ support of the game at a community level. Soccer’s international standing is also to be admired – even though rugby is played in so many countries, the playing field between nations is smoother in soccer. The scoring method in soccer (point for point) though maybe contributes to this.
The Roar: Should John Williamson sing Waltzing Matilda before Wallaby games?
DaniE: Personally, I don’t think so. The first couple of times he did it – yes it was nice, but then I think it got a bit forced and cheesy. I’m not a fan of the new school of hype – wavy blow-up people on the sidelines, fireworks (cough cough), Waltzing Matilda at every game. I used to love hearing the crowd sing the anthem accompanied by a marching band – you could really hear the passion of your fellow supporters. Now the anthem is drowned out by fancy-schmancy b-grade pop/era singers singing along to that tinny recorded instrumental. Why not just have a simple trumpet or something? Sorry folks – I think I am a bit too passionate on this!
The Roar: In ten years time how will we look back on the Stellenbosch Laws?
DaniE: That depends on which laws will be adopted! I haven’t been in a position to see the rules in motion, but theoretically, there are some which I am not sure about, such as the lineout laws allowing as many players as wanted in the lineout, and the collapsed maul law. I am happy with the ruling that no player can pass the ball back into the 22 for a kick into touch. I can see that the Stellenbosh laws are an attempt to open the game and simplify it. The rules of the game *are* definitely a barrier to allowing new fans into the game – the lady at immigration at Heathrow Airport said that the rules are too complicated and many for her to enjoy the spectacle (she also said that the All Blacks had been through the day before – yeehah!). So it will be interesting to see what will happen… but laws in most sports never seem static anyway, so we will be sure to watch the space!
The Roar: Favourite moment of French brilliance?
DaniE: The two-test match series against the All Blacks in 1994, with those brilliant counter attack tries, and the semi-final win over the All Blacks again in 1999. What a turn-around that game was, so inspiring. I honestly cannot but feel that the French are a hidden threat in this World Cup – they sort of seem to fox, you don’t really think that they can prevail but when they do it’s in such a spectacular manner that you feel punch-drunk. But eh, they are French!
The Roar: Why do you post on the roar? What improvements or ideas would you like to see the roar take on?
DaniE: I am living in Malaysia at the moment, so I feel somewhat removed from the rugby scene in Australia and even among the world generally. Websites like The Roar and news articles keep me blessedly informed!
I like The Roar because it’s great to see the variety of responses from rugby fans around the place. I enjoy how many of the articles and posts are deeply thought out. The best thing about this site though is how people are interested in the ‘big picture’ – not just simply winning or losing but also about the style of play, the way that the players and the unions conduct themselves, the history and the future of the game. The only suggestion I can make – maybe improving the layout of the page? It gets pretty full sometimes and it’s hard to find old articles. But that’s all!
The Roar: Which sport is most inclusive of women fans? Are the things that draw women to sport any different than the things that work for guys i.e. action, tactics etc.?
DaniE: Of the traditional male sports, it’s hard to say. I think though that these sports make the mistake of thinking that women are drawn mainly by the prospect of seeing hunky guys. Women I feel are inspired by the story of the sport and their clubs, and the culture and atmosphere, and of course the skill. Maybe not so much the *specific* techniques and the stats – I am always amazed by the inherent understanding and analysis of this displayed by most men. Not to say I am not interested in these aspects too – but I don’t feel as skilled to comment. Maybe then women are not given as much of an opportunity to learn about how the game is played (e.g. lines of defence, passing techniques etc). There was a book by Tracy Holmes I won a decade ago – ‘Rugby Guide for Women’ or something. I found it so insulting. It was so thin on actual facts and pretty much suggested that women’s main interest in the game is to perv at the blokes. Definitely not true. Honestly, there are nice looking fellas in so many other places, it’s not like we need them concentrated in one spot!
I really admired the coach of the Randwick Boys’ High School team, Karen Mould, for having had the confidence to be involved in the sport to such a degree (and to have been so successful!). As much as I would like to be more involved, I don’t have the confidence and would feel insecure that my motives for being involved would be misinterpreted and therefore not be taken seriously. I think those things are probably the biggest drawbacks to women becoming spectators in and/or being involved in ‘male’ sports.
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September 26th 2007 @ 7:11pm
Spiro Zavos said | September 26th 2007 @ 7:11pm | Report comment
I don’t know about Dani E but it certainly one of the highlights of the RWC tournament in France was meeting up,or being met up, by Dani E. My wife Judy and myself were about to position ourselves to watch on the big screen one of the RWC matches in La Place De la Comedie, a huge plaza with numerous cafes. Dani E approached me tentatively and asked if I was Spiro Zavos. When I agreed that I was we had a tremendously interesting and animtaed conversation.
John Connolly came past and joined in and I impressed with Dani E’s searching questions, including how he thought the ARC was going. And this is a person who lives in Malayasia!
I actually don’t always agree with Dani E. But I always respect the rugby knowledge that goes into her thoughts about the game. As she showed with her in-depth conversation with the Wallaby coach, Dani E thinks through the issues and comes to robust conclusions.
I was interested to read that she was hooked into rugby by the great Campo, David Campese, the greatest broken field runner in the history of rugby, with the exception perhaps of Jem Mace at Rugby School in the 1840s, the boy who really did run with the ball thereby creating the distinctive aspect of rugby football.
Anyone who idolised Campo has my vote for being a true rugby person. The world of rugby is divided in my opinion into those who know nothing about the beauty and glory of the game by claiming Campo couldn’t tackle or whatever (Bradman wasn’t much of a bowler either!) and those like Dani E, myself and the true believers who regard running with the ball in the Campese manner is one of the great sights rugby has to offer.
Keep on roaring, Dani E, it’s lways fun to read your thoughts on the great game.
September 27th 2007 @ 9:48am
Sam Taulelei said | September 27th 2007 @ 9:48am | Report comment
Talofa lava Dani
Great interview, I wouldn’t have known that you’re based in Malaysia with your knowledge of all things rugby in Australia.
I enjoy reading your comments as a lot of the posts tend to get a bit myopic and similar and it’s refreshing to read your take on issues as well as some of the other female contributors. You convey your thoughts very clearly and concisely.
Enjoy the rest of the tournament in France, I’m very envious of yourself and other Roarers enjoying the experience firsthand.
September 27th 2007 @ 1:18pm
Garth Hamilton said | September 27th 2007 @ 1:18pm | Report comment
I thought Dani’s answer to ‘what attracts women to rugby’ was very interesting and well worth the ARU having a think about. Dani talks about the stories and the culture of rugby as being the main attractions to her. On an international level rugby has some great stories – the Welsh defiance of England, the flashing French flair, the RFU still acting like the East India Company, Australia shrugging of its long history as an easy beat, South Africa’s shaking off its past and Scotland’s amazing ability to defy the odds everynow and then and capture a Calcutta Cup when there is no way in hell they should have. Rugby has the perfect bad guys, conveniently identifiable as they are already dressed in black, in the All Blacks and thanks to the many amateur nations around the world has so many underdogs. Can you think of any other occassion when an Australian would have cause to shout “Go Georgia” than during the rugby world cup?
Are the ARU doing enough to sell these stories to the Australia’s female population? As soccer administrators well know, the best way to get to the next generation of sports stars is to win over their mums.
September 27th 2007 @ 2:07pm
Spiro Zavos said | September 27th 2007 @ 2:07pm | Report comment
Garth has hit the nail on the head with Dani E’s appreciation of rugby. She loves the narrative of the game and its variety. Her eloquence on what attracts her to rugby reminded me of a brief conversation on a plane I had once with a woman about Dani E’s age. She told me that she loved rugby. Why? I asked. ‘Because it is a clever game.’
What a great answer that gets to the heart of the matter. I was reminded when she told me this of Mark Ella’s comment about the NZ Women’s Rugby side after it defeated the Australian Women at North Sydney Oval in 1994, I think, the first test between the Women’s teams. Mark said the NZers played the most technically correct rugby he’d ever seen.
Dani E talked about the Stellenbosch laws which if implemented will result in about the seventh major change to the way the game is played. Like her I don’t think all the Stellenbosch Laws will come in but I like the notion about pulling down the mauls and having as many people in the lineout as you like, inside the 15m mark. This change will lead to further clever play.
Incidentally, I met Wayne Erickson, the former test referee, at our hotel a few days ago. Wayne is following the Wallabies around with his wife and a couple of friends. He told me that one of the ARC matches, with the Stellenbosch Laws in place, had something like 48 minutes of play, a tremendous amount of play against the usual 35 minutes or so.
September 27th 2007 @ 10:51pm
Peter L said | September 27th 2007 @ 10:51pm | Report comment
Onya DaniE – good wrap and nice to get some background. Like Spiro, I don’t always agree with you (the traditional trans-tasman thing I guess) but you always make good reading and have interesting insights,
You’re right about he Frogs too – they, along with the Wallabies, are the team that cause NZ the most pain, and quite often in the past it has been because they have “pulled one out of the bag” rather than a form thing. The French side have always had the annoying trait of playing like a pack of idjits all season, then for one test – against the ABs – playing out of their skins. Whatever it is they put in their water before those games, they should patent it and bottle it and call it FrogAid, they’d make a fortune!
September 28th 2007 @ 9:54am
Matt said | September 28th 2007 @ 9:54am | Report comment
I have a two and a half year old daughter named “Ruby” (quite innocently). One of my old coaches pointed out to me that it was “Rugby, with a silent G”. Being a rugby tragic I guess it’s fitting.
I’m trying my best to get her onto rugby…She’s a telly yeller like her dad and likes it because of the colour and movement. She’s learnt to cheer for the Wallabies even though Wallaby is a difficult word for her. DaniE gives me someone to aspire to for Ruby…to be able to sit with your daughter and talk about rugby in depth would be a dream come true (although a nightmare for her mother). Great interview.
September 28th 2007 @ 7:13pm
DaniE said | September 28th 2007 @ 7:13pm | Report comment
Hello folks, thanks for the comments. If I could blush I would.
It’s strange seeing my own interview go live! Sadly, my rugby odyssey is about to come to a close up here in France, and I can’t describe the feelings of gloom that I now have. Sigh.
Matt, I have wonderful chats with my dad about rugby, but my sister and my mother are also rugby tragics. In fact it was my mother who got me onto the game (by lettting me stay up to watch RWC91!). My sister was disdainful until she was dragged along by mum and I to a game. Now she loves it. It was always unusual, three Asian-y looking women turning up to club matches and going nuts and trying to analyse the game. We’d sometimes get a few comments (“nice to see three females turn up, where are you from?”). So there is a lot of future for your daughter to enjoy the sport… and also possibly your wife. Don’t give up on her!
September 28th 2007 @ 10:59pm
matty p said | September 28th 2007 @ 10:59pm | Report comment
DaniE, do you get to see any games in Malaysia? I used to play for SCC in Singapore and we played a couple of great games (well at least to participate in) in KL. The local team was tough (not just because they had a bunch of Fijian ringgers).
Loved your insights. I have mixed feelings about the fact that my wife isn’t a rugby tragic (scarred, I think, by a father shouting at footy on a tv screen growing up), but she came to watch Ireland v France with me last weekend, cried during the anthems and was chanting Allez Les Bleus by the end.
For the record, I can’t say I love Campo but I loved to watch him play. Even when he did blow the 89 Lions series right in front of me. You have to take the good with the bad.
Spiro, fascinating stat re minutes played. I think that means a lot more time on the treadmill for the whole team! It will be interesting to see what will happen if 120kg hulks have to do that amount of work.