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A player bravely playing on despite a painful injury is usually the sort of story we hear about after an AFL grand final, Bledisloe Cup or State of Origin encounter. When it comes to toughness it’s almost always men we hear about.
It took Australian Georgia Page to highlight just how brutal women’s rugby can be.
20-year-old Page became an unexpected internet sensation for her inspirational effort to get up and land another tackle despite breaking her nose during a crucial match in the Collegiate Rugby Championship in America.
The majority of rugby players male or female at any level would stay down in that situation, to at least make sure of their own personal well-being, knowing the referee would eventually stop the game for medical treatment.
Instead, she thought of her teammates who would struggle to defend without her in the rugby sevens format.
Her efforts no doubt spurred them on on in much the way John Sattler did when he played on with a broken jaw in 1970.
— Georgia Page (@geo_page) June 6, 2015
Page’s college Lindenwood won the game 24-17 to reach the final.
She’s now been labelled a ‘rugby war goddess’ but that title could be used for any girls who play rugby according to Page who took to twitter to express her desire for greater coverage of the women’s game.
“I want to be an good ambassador for rugby and growing the game, what [I] did wasn’t for me it was for the team!” she tweeted.
“Many of you have seen my video on the Internet when it could’ve been live TV,”
“Very disappointing that the Collegiate Rugby Championships Sevens tournament that this happened at did not air that game or our final. Instead [it was the] men’s.”
While Ronda Rousey has done a lot to change perceptions with her incredible bouts in Mixed Martial Arts, more stories like Georgia Page will help tackle the old view that women’s sport is less physical, demanding and tough than its male equivalent.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.