Act like a lady play like a beast: The Tamarra Morriss story

On any given day, kids living in the Central Coast of NSW, ride their bikes to school, play together at ovals and skateparks, in the glistening summer afternoons.

Shouting and laughter can be heard from across the swimming holes with children and their families basking in the sun across the picturesque seaside locations.

Woy Woy is a quaint town with just over 10,000 in population, perched on a peninsula at the southern edge of the beautiful Brisbane Waters. It is a town with a growing and thriving rugby community.

When you hop onto the Woy Woy Rugby Union website, the banners ‘quality ladies rugby’, and ‘providing opportunities for girls’, immediately grab you.

It is a community that supports the development of girls and young women in rugby. Everyone in this community is tied together in one way or form but one thing that is clear, is their passionate love for rugby and supporting their family of players.

I write this story with a heavy heart. I need to tell the story about Tamarra Genaviv Morriss. This story is written with the permission of her mother, Paulini Morriss, who has entrusted me to write this piece. It is a story about a young girl’s dreams and aspirations to play rugby.

Tamara was just 19 years old. A day after her 19th birthday, Tamara’s life tragically ended.

There is one aspect about Tamarra’s short journey with us that I want to highlight, and that is her love for rugby and the expression of love by the rugby community. Tamarra’s motto throughout her short-lived life is: Act Like A Lady, Play Like A Beast. The title of her story.

Tamarra was a quiet girl, not one for many words. She is the kid that always lets everyone have a go first, served others, attentive and self-less. When Tamarra was just 10 years old, she asked her mother quietly, if she could play rugby, Paulini said no. She told her that she was too small.

That she would be injured and that the game was not for her. She worried about Tamarra’s small frame on the field. It is not known where Tamarra’s love for rugby began but it was a secret burning desire of hers. Her mother Paulini is a typical Fijian mum, quirky in her ways, a single mother to her five children.

Her other four children live in Fiji and the USA. She is a woman that is not a stranger to struggle, domestic violence, and trauma, living as an illegal immigrant in Australia for over fourteen years, before being granted permanent residency.

One day in 2018, there was a knock on the door of the Morriss residence. Outside the door stood Iain Russell, Coach of the U15s Woy Woy Rugby girls’ team.

He introduced himself as Tamarra’s coach. Immediately Paulini asked, ‘are you the coach of the netball team?’ Iain said he was the coach of the under 15 Girl’s Rugby team. Tamarra had been playing rugby secretly and hiding this from her mother.

She begged and borrowed rugby boots where she could and often walked home after training in the dark before catching the attention of Iain, who would often give her a lift. On this day, Iain decides it is time to formally introduce himself to Tamarra’s mother. And the rest is history.

Her mum became one of the most vocal supporters of the club. Each time Tamarra played there was pure pride on Paulini’s face as she became a massive rugby fan of the game.

Tamarra was known for her tackling skills and balance, not bad for a tiny girl. She became the superstar of her local club with her exceptional ball skills, running centre and flyhalf from strength to strength. She played U15s and when there was no U17s team went straight onto the Open Women’s rugby side.

Tamarra also made representative rugby. She played in the Central Coast Representative side, selected for the NSW Country team and furthermore the under 17s Waratahs side. Since her departure from this world, the community has stepped in not only to support Tamarra’s family but also their young people. This is the beauty of belonging to a rugby family and a family-oriented community.

The club has created a memorial for Tamarra at the stadium. There is a Go Fund Me account set up to support the family as they lay her to rest in the coming days.

The story of Tamarra is one that reminds us about family. The rugby family that comes together during times of need. It is also the story about the important role women rugby coaches play as change agents of the sport.

Fraternity support is not unusual for rugby communities across the world. We see it with renowned rugby stars who have passed as of late. Moreover, we also see it in small thriving communities across Australia, and it is these very stories that increase our love and support for the game.

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