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Here's all the adventures I've had the opening weekend of the RWC

The poi of Aotearoa in 2022 and the flags of France in 2018. Both a beautiful display of women’s sport.

By now you will have read everyone either lauding the vibe at Eden Park on Saturday or lamenting the fact that we didn’t have a completely full house. To my mind, this commentary is about as useful as some of the English fans response to their contest with the ambitious Fijiana - perfection doesn’t exist and isn’t necessary to win the day. So bloody celebrate the wins when you get them! Everything else is to be worked over in the prep for the next match.

My Rugby World Cup journey started with me receiving a text to tell me my flight was cancelled. I was gutted to say the least as I was due up in Auckland to MC presentations from a range of epic folk. So I sat in my car and googled drive time and alternate routes through anywhere from Taupō to Hamilton.

Trevor Mallard told me that it would be best to go to the airport so I did, despite not having a flight and everything vaguely in that direction fully booked until 8pm that evening. Apparently standby flights no longer exist for Air New Zealand, well at least not for us non-gold card Koru members. They now will only sell you a ticket after the check in closes for a flight and no one turns up. So after playing pinball around ground staff for all flights up north, I went back to my car and cried.

I called the event organiser who was going to stand in for my back up. She asked me to send her my notes and I promised I would but when I hung up, I sat there knowing that was the last thing I wanted to do. Kicking off my Rugby World Cup with a panel of pioneers who had help us build to this tournament was the only way I wanted to do this. So I left the bags in my car and went to the Jetstar counter for my last play.

Taimane was an absolute gift and when she was trying to book a standby she declared that she had actually got me a flight. I cried again on her desk and she was very kind and chill about it.

As I waited to board, I overheard a woman next to me saying she was heading up for the tournament. I wasn’t going to stand there without asking questions so that’s how I met Lynne from Melbourne. She had played during the 1990s and was linking up with old teammates from other parts of the world to get along.

The event was just what I had hoped and it was such a privilege to get to introduce each of this amazing pioneers.

We didn’t have time for a Q&A but if we had, my opener would have been to ask all former internationals in attendance to stand. I had spotted England’s Giselle Mather, Black Fern’s Louisa Wall and later introduced myself to Canada’s Steph White de Goede and Shelaine Kozakavich.

This was a theme that would continue all weekend, unassuming women in the crowd who in fact brought women’s sport to this record breaking moment in New Zealand.

Speaking to the Canadian crew after the event, straight out the gate I’m having truly interesting debate over professionalism in our sport and various nations ability to keep pace. Real debate you know? One that is coming from a shared problem definition and understanding of all the nuance. Steph apologised (classic Canadian) for having held me up but of course all I could do is thank her. I didn’t realise how hungry I was for this type of conversation. That there will be 5 more weeks of this feels decadent.

Then it was time to work. Here is a dump of all the things I’ve churned out in the last couple of days :)

• I am doing previews and game day wraps for World Rugby’s social media. Like this and this. Will be doing this every weekend which is a wild thing to be learning to do so publicly but what the hey, we will give it a hoon!

• I’m doing some more fun content for my mates at Ruggette RFC. (If you have ever seen me where a slogan women’s sports shirt, it’s likely from Ruggette). For example this.

• I’m writing my regular weekly column for the Herald on Sunday… reckon this week will be on the wisdom of crowds.

• I’m also giving my usual hype to those that ask for it. This weekend, in the Guardian and the Sunday Star Times

But the thing I love most and that I’m doing for myself really, is talking to folks. So I’ve been following my joy and having conversations with people I find interesting. I just whack these up on my Twitter or Instagram but here are my top three from this weekend:

• The incredible hype from Rosy, who is Giada Franco’s Mum. Giada plays 7 for Italy but Rosy was the MVP of that match.

• This awesome opportunity to kōrero with two legends of Canadian Rugby. Steph White de Goede is Sophie de Goede’s Mum. Sophie is the Canadian captain, born into that role given both Steph and her husband Hans also captained the Canadian Rugby men’s and women’s teams. Shelaine Kozakavich who was a former fullback for Canada starting from 1987 and playing in the 1991 RWC.

• This one for me personally which features Lesley McKenzie. Lesley and I played club rugby together, won a championship in 2012 and she was hugely influential in my development as a player. This support was important cause it came just as I was transitioning from the backs to the forward pack. So to be on the other side of the press rope on Sunday felt very surreal.

  

  Lesley puts her hand on my back during our club final in 2012

There is still everything in the world to say but I think this is long enough.

Team, I am so tired. I am so happy.

With you,

Alice