Don’t be surprised if you hear a distinctive American twang from the field during the Northern United women’s games this season.
Kris Dando reports.
From America’s Pacific Northwest to Porirua – that’s some distance to go to improve your rugby.
Christina Zier, from Washington state, had been encouraged to further her ambition of making the US national side by playing in New Zealand. Wellington Rugby Union put the 24-year-old in touch with former- Black Fern and Northern United women’s coach Aimee Sutorius.
Next thing she knew, Zier was lacing up her ‘‘cleats’’ for training in the Natone Park twilight.
‘‘I’ve already learned a lot and the girls have made me feel really welcome, helping me out. I love the feel of Porirua, I’m from a small town [near Seattle], so it feels right,’’ she says.
Zier, who’ll likely be known as ‘‘Beanz’’ by team-mates – a play on her middle name Bryanne – is a late-comer to rugby. She was introduced to the game seven years ago at her university and fell in love with the dynamics.
Zier plays hooker, so defence, lineouts and hitting rucks are her strengths, which she wants to improve here in New Zealand.
‘‘Some of the US [players] talked about playing abroad, saying it opens up your game.
I can see why, the drills are short and sharp, everyone knows what’s going on here.’’
Rugby has strongholds in the US, especially on the East Coast in cities such as Boston. In Seattle there are only two teams who must travel, at their own expense, to Oregon, California and Arizona to find opponents.
‘‘Rugby is a pretty small community in the US, but sevens is appealing to more people.’’
Zier hopes to impress enough to make the Norths starting lineup, play a full winter and then head back in time for the American rugby season. The ultimate goal is to represent the United States at the 2014 World Cup.
Frequent sessions on Skype with her family are helping Zier combat the homesickness. In between her rugby and working as a personal trainer, she hopes to travel the country.