SISTER JUST WANTS TO MAKE STAR ELLI PROUD
THE sister of Wales international and Ospreys star Elli Norkett says the family try to share happy memories every day following the 20-year-old player’s death earlier this year.
Elli, from Llandarcy, near Neath, who was a popular friend, player and team-mate across several rugby teams she had played for, died following a car crash in February this year.
Her sister Lowri, who will take part in the Swansea Half Marathon today with three of her close friends in Elli’s memory, said they speak about her every day and just want to make her proud.
At the age of 22, Lowri has earned Welsh caps playing for the Welsh national netball under-21s team, and has just started playing rugby for Swansea RFC Women’s team – where she is playing alongside some of Elli’s former team-mates at the same club her sister once played for.
Speaking about her favourite memories of her little sister, Lowri said: “She was the best French plaiter. She always did my hair for me, (did it) lovely.
“I’m missing her doing my hair. We did a lot of sport together.”
Lowri moved back home to Llandarcy after her sister’s death after she had been working in England as a netball coach at a school.
“It’s been quite hard. You have to speak about her every day.
“We always try and share happy memories of her every single day. You want to make her proud. That’s what keeps me going.
“Mam and dad are the same. We’ve just got to keep going.”
Elli, a Cardiff Met University sport development student, had won four Welsh senior caps by the age of 17.
In 2014, she was the youngest player in the Rugby World Cup and also represented Wales at Sevens and was selected for the Great Britain Students Sevens.
She also played for Swansea Ladies and the Ospreys, and was described as a treasured member of the Welsh rugby family.
Speaking about taking on her first half marathon, Lowri, who will be supported by her family on the sidelines, said: “Training’s going really well. We all run at different times but we’re not doing it for a time. We’ve said we’re doing it for Elli so we’re all going to stick together.”
They will be raising money for the Welsh Rugby Charitable Trust.
“It was Elli’s chosen charity,” she said. “When she was injured they helped her get back to match fitness with physio sessions.”
Lowri is hoping to enter the London Marathon next year, and organise more fundraising events, but for now she’s enjoying rugby at Swansea RFC’s women’s team.
She had never played rugby before joining around March, but had always wanted to – and Elli had wanted her to try it.
“We’re all very close. They’ve helped me a lot. I like the challenge of it. You have to think about the game more and you’ve got to get stuck in.”
She added: “Sunday will be emotional but we have to remember why we are doing this.
“We just want to thank everyone really for celebrating her life.”
To donate, you can visit www. justgiving.com/fundraising/lowrinorkett