Super W: The NSW product proudly wearing Red against Waratahs

Thu, Mar 5, 2020, 10:00 PM
Emma Greenwood
by Emma Greenwood
Sarah Riordan is proud to be wearing Red and representing Queensland despite being a NSW product. Photo: QRU Media/Brendan Hertel
Sarah Riordan is proud to be wearing Red and representing Queensland despite being a NSW product. Photo: QRU Media/Brendan Hertel

She was born and raised in NSW but few players will wear the Queensland jersey with more pride than Sarah Riordan in the Reds' clutch Super W clash against the Waratahs on Saturday.

The great rivals have met in the grand final in the first two seasons of the competition and with both teams undefeated heading into the penultimate round, the winner of Saturday's fixture at Ballymore is likely to claim the automatic berth in the decider on offer to the minor premiers.

After sitting out the 2019 season following a shoulder reconstruction the clash will be Riordan's first against the Tahs since the 2018 grand final.

Raised in Raymond Terrace, just north of Newcastle, Riordan was posted to Brisbane with the Australian Defence Force, where the Wallaroo continued her rugby career with the Reds.

Although initially nervous to pull on a maroon jersey, Riordan now counts herself a true Queenslander and can't wait to play the Tahs again.

"At the start I thought it was going to be quite difficult (to play for the Reds) and quite hard being from NSW but I think the thing that made me love Queensland more is actually putting on this jersey," Riordan said.

"It was one of the things I was more skeptical about being a NSW girl but ever since playing for the team and wearing the jersey with the team it made me love the state more.

"I love Brisbane and I'm hoping not to get posted out - I've still got two more years here.

"But I've definitely adopted Queensland and Brisbane as home now and hopefully I can keep it that way for a while."

After dislocating her shoulder several years ago, Riordan put off surgery but with the joint constantly popping out of place when she played, she could no longer delay reconstruction and went under the knife following the inaugural Super W season.

"I dislocated it a few years ago and played the first (Super W) season with it and it was pretty average and it gradually got worse towards the end of 2018," Riordan said.

"It got to the point where the last Test match against New Zealand that year I realised I needed to get it done.

"I got it done in the off-season but unfortunately I missed the Super W season but I was lucky enough to be back for the Test matches at the back end of last year."

The 27-year-old was included in Australia's squad for Tests against Japan but missed the final cut as she continued her recovery.

"You think you can work with the off-season but the off-season quickly turns into the pre-season and the competition proper," she said of missing last year's Super W season.

"I still made it back for club and international - there were other goals there but you have to sacrifice something."

On Saturday though, she will be back in the thick of the action with a repaired body and a mindset that has her ready to plot the ruin of her former state.

Losing the first two Super W titles still burns for Queensland and even a NSW product is keen to help them turn the tables.

"It definitely does (still hurt) and I guess it's all the more motivation to get ahead this year," Riordan said.

"But putting that aside, you just want to win and play well, regardless of where we finish.

"That's still there in the back end but we've got other jobs first before we can think about that."

The Reds take on the Waratahs at Ballymore Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday, March 7, kicking off at 4pm AEDT (3pm local), with the match streamed LIVE on RUGBY.com.au

Share
Super Rugby Pacific Round Six Preview
Force 'heart and soul' Pomare set to reach rare Super W milestone
Michael Hooper is excited about the challenge of playing Sevens in Hong Kong. Photo: Nick Holland/RA Media
'Rookie' ex-Wallabies skipper Hooper ready to step up Sevens unknown
'Brumbies DNA': Wallabies selections on the line for Reds clash - Larkham