Isaac Ross: A letter to my mother - Black Fern #14

PLUS: The Week That Was and the Weekend That Will Be

A special contribution to The Bounce that doesn’t need any great introduction from me other than to say that I’m proud to showcase a letter written by Isaac Ross, All Black #1088, to his mother Christine. Enjoy.

“Low-key proudest moment representing my mum, my first coach, at the Black Ferns jersey presentation in 2020.” Photo / supplied

Dear Mum,

Thank you for your Courage.

Even though you were scoffed at for thinking you could dare play a “Hard Man’s Game”, you went out there and you found a way to play.

Thank you for your Strength.

Even though deep down you wanted to punch them between the eyes, you chose to ignore those men who told you, “Girls don’t play rugby”.

Thank you for your Perseverance.

Even though it wasn’t considered the “done thing” for a farming mother to do, you still drove those three-hour round trips from Ashburton to Christchurch, twice a week, for a decade, just to train and to play the game you loved.

Thank you for your Inclusion.

Even though this was not what others thought mothers were supposed to do, you knew most of the other women in the team had kids, too. You allowed us to grow up with a team of mums, and a whole bunch of brothers and sisters come Sunday!

Thank you for your Desire.

Even though there was no sponsorship or playing money, you stopped at nothing to fundraise, to apply for grants, to sell tickets for raffles and to simply scrap and scrounge for donations. It was the only way to get you on that plane to tour and you were never going to miss that plane.

Thank you for your Bravery.

Even though so many critics thought you would not be capable, you were one of the first women to referee a men’s game in Europe.

Thank you for your Fearlessness.

Even though the team included formidable greats like the peerless Buck Shelford, you still led the haka for Dad’s Classic All Blacks in Bermuda.

Thank you for your Humility.

Even though so few remembered (even you had forgotten until Kendra Cocksedge kicked 13 conversions against Hong Kong in 2017), you had held the previous record for most conversions in a test for more than 20 years. You kicked 12 of them, against France, in 1996.

Thank you for your Gifts.

Even though we were supposed to be doing our homework, you would instead teach us how to run and pass and kick well after night had fallen.

Thank you for your Patience.

Even though you wanted me to play rugby, you knew the expectations that would be placed upon your boys as the sons of a Black Fern and an All Black. You started us in soccer. You gave us the space to develop our own passion for sport.

Thank you for your Encouragement.

Even though I had never played before and thought I might get hurt, you knew I would be okay. When my older cousin’s team fell short of numbers and needed me to play but I locked myself in the car. You didn’t get me out that day. Instead you promised me you would be the coach next year. And you kept that promise. I never locked myself in the car again.

Thank you for your Understanding.

Even though the only reason I started playing rugby was because you were the coach, you let me play first-five - and kick the goals!

Thank you for your Inspiration.

Even though Dad’s black-and-white All Black team photo was hung a little higher, it was your Black Ferns photo I stared at the most. I stared at it because I knew those women. I saw them on the field every Sunday. I was a tall kid, but they were the true giants!

Thank you for your dedication to Dream Big.

Even though the All Blacks was considered the pinnacle of rugby in New Zealand, it was your Black Ferns jersey with the number 15 on the back that I had on, running around the lawn practicing those gifts you had given me; imagining myself, as kids do, scoring the winning try or kicking the winning goal.

Thank you for your Unwavering Support.

Even when I towered above other kids and their parents would frown at me because what was a two-metre tall Mid-Canterbury lock doing, thinking he could run it around and kick goals and play like he was a back? I didn’t care, because you, Mum, said it was okay.

Thank you for Originality.

Even though it had not been done before and even though the games and tournaments weren’t officially sanctioned by the governing bodies, you were a part of a group of pioneering women who influenced the decision-makers and paved the way for the next generation of wahine - around the world and here at home - to take their place on the field.

Mum, it’s pretty special to have been a witness to all the Black Ferns’ success over the years. Now, 31 years after that first-ever Rugby World Cup, we get to see this team you helped create take the field for the first time in a home tournament. They take the field as defending champions, as the most successful rugby world cup side in history. They will be looking to add to that and to build on the legacy that you and so many others laid down before them. That is something to look upon with immense pride. I know I do.

Thank you Mum. Black Fern #14.

Thank you for being You.

Isaac

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THE WEEK THAT WAS

A two-test tour for the All Blacks XV that are not All Blacks was announced. This was easily the most interesting line in the story.

NZR has formed an exclusive partnership with sports promotion company Rugby Live (RL) to arrange the All Blacks XV matches.

Immediately my (conflict of) interest was piqued, but a search of the Australian companies office will reveal no NZR directors on RL’s shareholder list (though you might find sports law specialist Stephen Cottrell).

In fact, it appears they have gone to lengths to ensure there are none.

Left Field Live, of which the NZR’s Bart Campbell is a director, had an existing contract with NZR that couldn’t be fulfilled due to Covid restrictions in 2020 and 2021. Presumably because of the optics of a conflict of interest (even though it was declared and managed), LFL left the business of rugby in its entirety late last year.

Rugby Live was born and the NZR contract novated. Campbell has no shareholder, officer or beneficiary role with RL. 

Campbell’s business interests have been pored over both here and  in Australia. That’s understandable, but his knowledge and success within the professional sports sector makes him a perfect NZR director. Having him involved is a no-brainer. 

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In other rugby news, more than 30,000 tickets have been sold for the World Cup opener at Eden Park between the Black Ferns and Australia on October 8. This is heartening.

Meanwhile, Eden Park is surplus to requirements for the All Blacks next year ($). They must be feeling very secure in their revenue streams. It’s never a place I’ve warmed to as a venue, but they do have an extremely proactive management team, so I am a little surprised it has come to this.

Matt Heath, who might just be the biggest Eden Park fan on the planet, was moved to text: “Move the game. Play it when it doesn’t clash. That might be a hard thing to organise but not having an All Black game in your biggest city in a year shouldn’t be a consideration, especially after everything Auckland lost to Covid considerations. You have to do whatever is right by the fans and the game and do whatever it takes to move the bugger [back to Eden Park].”

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I have a soft spot for the sedate rhythms and sounds of baseball. Even if the game bores you to tears as a TV spectacle, if you have the opportunity to spend any time in the States during summer I recommend an evening at the ballpark. If nothing else, it’s just a pleasant place to have a cold drink and a hot snack. Baseball is a game that worships stats more than any other, so this season has been enlivened by a couple of home run chases for the ages.

Would Albert Pujols get to 700 before he retired? He did.

Would Aaron Judge get to and past Roger Maris American league record of 61? Part I of that equation has been ticked off.

He has seven more games to beat Maris’ record, three away to Baltimore, then a four-game set at Yankee Stadium with its little league ‘short porch’ to right field to aim at. 

THE WEEKEND THAT WILL BE

What I’m planning to watch this weekend.

All grand finals mean a lot; some just mean more. A clash between Penrith and Parramatta to not only win the NRL but to claim pre-eminence in league’s West Sydney heartland is close to perfect. These two teams have a strong dislike for each other not just due to proximity. They’re in many ways similar. The Eels were an expansion team in 1947 and had to wait until the 1981 season to claim their first premiership. Penrith were an expansion team in 1967 and had to wait until 1991 to win their first premiership. Parramatta have four in total, Penrith three.

They both have a high proportion of fans who would endearingly be referred to as bogans, less charitably as feral.

Former Penrith forward Reagan Campbell-Gillard, who now plays for the neighbours, described it thus: “As a Penrith junior, you come through the system to hate [Parramatta]. I don’t like that word but it is. It doesn't matter what form you’re in, it’s a game you get up for.”

Bring it.

Penrith v Parramatta, Sydney, Sunday 9.30pm, Sky Sport 4

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Estonian Ott Tanak during yesterday’s special stage around the Auckland Domain. Andrew Cornaga / Photosport

Damn it’s good to have the WRC Rally of New Zealand back for the first time in 10 years, with spectacular dash-cam footage and people in their droves turning up to watch this morning’s stages. It’s an event that shows this country in such a good light, even if the weather is a bit, erm, murky. In the words of Ireland’s Craig Breen when he finished the stage along the Whaanga coast: “That’s some piece of road.”

There’s local interest in the remarkable Shane van Gisbergen, Hayden Paddon and Ben Hunt in the WRC2s. There is such a big, possibly underserved, audience for quality local motorsport in this country.

Rally of New Zealand, today through Sunday, Spark Sport

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The White Ferns have started to find life a bit tough in Antigua, putting together two horror top-order performances in a row to lose the dead-rubber third ODI and the first T20I. In particular, their inability to score at an acceptable rate against spin proved a familiar bugbear. They get a chance to make amends.

West Indies v NZ, 2nd T20I, Antigua, Sunday 3am, Sky Sport 1

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I’ll have the Breakers on a short leash this season due to a combination of low expectations and a revived interest in NZ’s own NBL that has left me feeling like I don’t need to care about the Australian NBL.

Melbourne United v NZ Breakers, Melbourne, Sunday 4pm, Sky Sport 3

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Manchester derby or North London? Hmm, probably go for the friendlier kickoff.

Arsenal v Tottenham, Emirates Stadium, Sunday 12.30am, Sky EPL