A season with… Saracens Womens’ Georgina Gulliver
Chapter Three: England’s Calling
Happy New Year everyone! Although 2018 has been a fantastic year and I loved being home over Xmas celebrating at my parent’s house in Bath with friends and family, I always get really excited in January because it means the Six Nations is just around the corner!
Nowadays it tends to mean a well earned rest from playing for me but I look back at some extremely special memories of playing in this historic tournament and can’t wait to sit back and watch some of the Saracens’ young guns get their teeth stuck into it.
When looking back its crazy to think the start of my international career really begun by winning the Grand Slam back in 2009! Traditionally the Six Nations offers a brutal schedule of back to back test rugby and epic battles between the top players in Europe. The ultimate goal is to secure a Grand Slam win, often with many twists and turns along the way.
For new rugby fans, particularly young girls and boys learning the game, this is not to be missed. Watching your favourite team or player prepare and execute a different game-plan, for very different opposition every week, is the best place to learn.
The top three teams of the women’s game and most consistent performers in the Six Nations involve England, France and Ireland in varying order. But if I’m honest there is no harder place to go and win, than France away, in front of a very patriotic and passionate crowd.
This year sees England go into the tournament as full time professional players for the first time since the World Cup, and even then they were only temporary contracts. 28 full time contracts have now been awarded to the best players in the country, this is absolutely amazing and a pivotal moment in order to keep growing our game.
In my opinion even though the word ‘professionalism’ is being used at the moment, I feel this is wrong because the England women’s team have been ‘professional’ for a very long time, just without a salary. I feel it would be an injustice not to recognise the players and coaches past efforts and dedication. Training early in the morning and late in the evening and conducting themselves in a very professional manner all in the name of England, whilst also holding down a full time job in order to pay the bills.
The new full time contracts allows players to fully concentrate their efforts solely on playing rugby, but also gives them the opportunity to grow as a team rather than simply training hard as individuals. So with all this in mind it will be interesting from a commercial point of view how the Six Nations fixtures on the road at Sandy Park and Doncaster can use this momentum, to continue to grow the game.
For Saracens women, since regaining the top spot after a big win against Loughborough at home, all our efforts have been going in to staying there. Easier said than done, however we put together one of our most complete performances away to Wasps in the last game before Christmas and this felt great. You can’t underestimate the feeling of going into the Christmas break on a high and entering the New Year having found some form.
Having said that we seemed to have to play our get out of jail free card against Quins last Saturday. There is never a great deal that separates us and Quins but they seemed to have had the upper hand for the large majority of the game, but through sheer grit and determination and a couple of moments of individual brilliance we managed to score three times in the closing 15 minutes to win the game by just three points. It wasn’t a perfect performance by either side, but we found a way to win and the belief and impact our bench made was something to be applauded. Even though there were smiles all round after the game, we are fully aware that we need to be better if we want any chance of lifting the trophy again come April.
Next up for us is Gloucester-Hartpury away who are currently battling it out with Wasps for the fourth play off spot, so we know they will be a dangerous side especially with new signing Mo Hunt, who will undoubtedly bring a wealth of experience and quality to an already good team.
I have personally known Mo for a long time, having played together previously at Bristol, Lichfield and with England. We are good friends and both super competitive but tend to still share a laugh or two on the pitch. We haven’t played against each other for a long time, as she has been away with 7’s, so I am very much looking forward to this fixture.
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Georgina Gulliver is represented by 2710 Entertainment.
