Robinson's dream comes to fruition

Thu, Mar 8, 2018, 10:51 AM
Sam Phillips
by Sam Phillips
Old foes Queensland and New South Wales will get Super W underway at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday. The watershed moment in Women's Rugby will hopefully bring with it success at a higher level as the Wallaroos look to host the World Cup in 2021.

When most nine-year-old girls are tucked into bed, they have a teddy bear under their arm.

Emily Robinson traded a teddy bear for a football when she was nine and never looked back.

"I just loved footy, I loved rugby," Robinson said.

"I slept with a rugby ball every night instead of a teddy bear.

"My dad played soccer his whole life so it was a bit out of the blue but I loved it and had fun doing it.Robinson will be one of the NSW leaders in the inaugural Super W. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart Walmsley"I had a great time so I guess that's where the love comes from."

Now a Wallaroo, that nine-year-old girl would have immersed herself in the Buildcorp Super W, a competition that will provide female rugby role models for the next generation of Wallaroos.

"The nine-year-old me would be pretty excited and she would be throwing some yahoo's out, no doubt," she said.

"It's amazing to see girls do what you want to do on TV and it shows that you can actually go down that path.

"Obviously with the Olympics and the Sevens girls - I have some close friends in that team - and seeing that really drove us to push for this tournament.

"For younger girls it's awesome to see women in sport as role models on TV and to see that they can do it."Robinson and Kirby Sefo will square off in the opening round of Super W. Photo: RUGBY.com.au/Stuart WalmsleyRobinson had four Wallaroos inspire her at the Warringah Rats, a role she is hoping to fill when she pulls on the NSW jersey on Saturday night.

"I was lucky that I was down at Warringah Rats when I was 14 or 15 and we had the likes of Tui Ormsby, Bronnie Mackintosh, Chris Ross and Cheryl Soon," she said.

"They were the big four down there at the time.

"They were all Wallaroos and I probably didn't realise until the last couple of years how influential they were."

Robinson is at the front of rugby's new frontier and the 25-year-old is confident pay parity will come once the on field product hits top gear.

"We've always done it for the love of rugby and we wouldn't be here if we didn't," she said.

"We are super excited and really happy we get this opportunity to do it."

The Super W gets underwayon Saturday at Suncorp Stadium when QLD host NSW, kicking off at 6pm AEDT, broadcast at 9pm AEDT on FOX SPORTS and on RUGBY.com.au.
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