‘Really scary.’ Ex Fern on living in a lockdown

This story was originally published on LockerRoom.co. nz and is republished with permission.

In the northern Italian city of Parma, Cathrine Tuivaiti, her rugby playing husband Jimmy, and their baby son, Bash, have found themselves part of a nationwide lockdown.

‘‘It’s scary,’’ the former Silver Fern admits. But she also welcomes the drastic measures put in place to fight the spread of Covid-19 – now the global pandemic has claimed more than 1000 lives in Italy.

‘‘Everyone needs to stay indoors. Slowly in our town it’s getting stricter and it’s gone from ‘Don’t leave your house’, to now ‘We’ll check to see you’re not in the streets’,’’ she says.

‘‘What Italy have done is out the gate; it’s outrageous. They have literally stopped the country, but I commend them for trying something.’’

Tuivaiti – who gave birth to Bash, their first child, in October – has a message for the Kiwi public who aren’t experiencing the living restrictions they are.

‘‘New Zealand could take it more seriously at the moment,’’ she says.

‘‘Maintaining cleanliness is key. It’s obviously spreading like wildfire. I can see the jokes on this side of the world and I get it because I have a sense of humour, but we are stuck in something that is really scary, so respect it a little bit more I think.’’

Jimmy Tuivaiti plays in the Italian rugby team as part of the Six Nations – their games among many around the world to have been suspended and or cancelled.

The Italian union has kept him well informed of the virus and measures to stay healthy.

With Italy’s last two games of the competition, against Ireland and England, postponed, he hopes

‘‘I’m often terrified of the world I’ve brought him into.’’

Cathrine Tuivati on her baby son Bash

he’ll be financially taken care of, with ticket sales a big contributor to the sport.

‘‘A lot of money generates from the Six Nations, and Italy depends on the ticket sales at home or away. So a lot of teams will take a hit, but more so Italy,’’ the flanker says.

‘‘The game against England was sold out and we didn’t play that match so I don’t know what happens, whether they refund tickets – we won’t pocket that. I hope I get paid.’’

Cathrine Tuivaiti updated the family’s situation in another Instagram post, alongside a photo of her son.

She said: ‘‘What a rough couple of weeks. Gearing up for a couple more. I’m often terrified of the world I’ve brought him into. But we are safe and healthy, and he still cute.’’

This story was originally published on LockerRoom.co.nz and is republished with permission.

Former Silver Fern Cathrine Tuivaiti, left, and her husband Jimmy, right, a member of the Italian national rugby team, say what Italy has done is outrageous but commendable.