The FRU caught up with two of Ulster’s Women’s up and coming players to find out what it’s like trying to make your way to the top in the ladies game.
We spoke to Nikki Caughey and Ashley Baxter who have been running in the tries for Belfast Harlequins Ladies in the All Ireland League 2N.
How do you feel the season has gone for Belfast Harlequins so far?
Nikki: I’ve really enjoyed it. This is my first year playing senior rugby and it’s completely different going from an Under-19s team to a senior team. The players, and the opposition are larger, and they way they play and train is more advanced.
Ashleigh: I’m enjoying it and I think we have played well so far. It’s good to be able to play alongside Nikki.
Nikki: We’ve been playing against each other for years. When I played for Malone, Ashleigh played for Lisburn. Harlequins have been trying to get us to play together for so long now, so it’s good to be able to be teammates instead of the opposition.
How long have you both been playing rugby?
Nikki: I’ve been playing rugby since I was 5 or 6 years old – I started at Malone and I’ll still play for Malone U19s, but I play senior rugby for Harlequins. This is my first season with the team.
Ashleigh: I first got involved with rugby when I was fifteen, and I used to play for Lisburn. This is my second season for the Harlequins.
What are your hopes for the rest of the season, firstly as a team?
Nikki: For the team in general, I think we want to succeed and play the best we can in each game. We’re aiming to finish higher in the league each season, but the ultimate plan is to win the league. Our campaign has been going well up to now, but we’ll know more after Sunday.
Ashleigh: I want to win the league!
And your personal hopes and goals for the season?
Nikki: In terms of personal goals, I’m hoping I can gain as much experience as I can to make me into a better player. It is only my first season at a senior level, so I think it’s important to experience the other teams you’re up against.
Ashleigh: I want to be a better player and improve my skills. Hopefully then, I will be able to move on to Ulster.
What made you both decide to get involved with rugby?
Nikki: My dad actually played rugby, so I taken a lot from him. A lot of my friends are boys as well who used to play for Malone, and that’s where I started.
Ashleigh: I actually saw a flyer for tag rugby and went along to it and began playing. After a while I got talked into trying contact rugby and I’ve been playing it ever since.
Do you find it strange playing rugby, since a majority of people tend to associate the sport with men?
Nikki: I don’t find it strange because I think that’s because I play it, but if you are talking to someone you haven’t met before and you say ‘I play rugby,’ they look at you in surprise and think it’s strange. I know a lot of people aren’t used to the idea of women playing rugby, but it is just as good as men’s rugby.
Ashleigh: I don’t find it strange, but you do want more women to get involved. You want more teams to form and play, so it will be as big as men’s rugby. I do think it is starting to become more popular and publicised though, which is a great thing.
Do you try and convince your other (female) friends to come along and give it a go?
Nikki: We do. There are some of our friends who had never tried rugby and didn’t have much of an interest in rugby, but their school has maybe introduced tag rugby for the girls to get involved with. If they’ve played and enjoyed it, we would invite them to come to training and try contact rugby.
Nikki you’re currently in Upper 6th and Ashleigh you’re in your first year at university. Do you find it difficult to fit rugby alongside your studies and exams?
Nikki: I don’t think it’s too bad to fit everything in. It’s nice to be able to get away from things and go to training and matches.
Ashleigh: I don’t find it hard to fit in around my studies either. There are so many other things I could drop before my training.
How often would you train?
Ashleigh: For Harlequins, our training is on a Tuesday and the match would usually be on a Sunday.
Nikki: I would also train on a Wednesday for Malone.
When you aren’t playing in a match, would you go to watch other matches?
Nikki: If there are any matches in the club, I would tend to watch them, and if there are any on tv, I would try to catch them too. When the women’s World Cup was taking place, I watched it on the television and it was great to see it getting publicity.
Ashleigh: It can be hard to see games sometimes though, purely because it’s not viewed the same as men’s rugby.
You’re both very young and only starting out at senior level, yet there is talk that you both have great potential to play for Ireland. Would you agree with that, and is that where you ultimately aim to be?
Ashleigh: I would love to play for Ireland but it will depend on how things unfold and if different things happen.
Nikki: My ultimate goal is to play for Ireland, but whether it happens (maybe because of injuries to other players, or work), you never know. It’s definitely a possibility for us both, but anything can happen.
Since there are no Ireland U19s or U21s. When would your first chance to play for Ireland?
Ashleigh: I’d love to play in the next World Cup, even though it is four years away.
Nikki: I’d love to play in the next World Cup as well.
Are you hoping to play for Ulster Women’s too?
Ashleigh: Hopefully next year, I’ll be able to play for Ulster.
Nikki: As Ashleigh said, hopefully next year will be the year. Ashleigh has had more experience of playing at a senior level than I have, so I would like to play for a while longer before moving onto a higher level.
How do your family and friends react when you come home from training, and especially a match on Sunday, and you’re battered and bruised?
Nikki: I complain a lot.
Ashleigh: So do I.
Nikki: I’m always complaining about my ribs or my back being sore, but I don’t get much sympathy from my family – they tell me I chose to play it! (laughs) If I’m at school, my friends will often see stud marks and bruises on my arms and think it’s disgusting.
Ashleigh: It does depend on who you’re with. Quite often you will arrive at training and everyone is comparing bruises, saying ‘mine is better than yours!’ By the time you have fully recovered, you’re getting ready to play another match.
Outside of rugby and your studies, what do you do in your spare time?
Ashleigh: I tend to play hockey and football.
Nikki: I play other sports too and I like to go out with my friends. Sometimes I’ll just stay in and relax though.
Are the other sports you play also competitive?
Ashleigh: I play club hockey for Newcastle who are top of the league at the minute, and I’ve just started playing football for Queen’s this year.
Nikki: I play hockey for school and I’ve actually taken a season out from Harlequin’s hockey, to play Harlequin’s rugby. Hockey is more of a social thing for me though and I’ve also played netball.
Corrections, comments or questions?