Ahead of the largest domestic fixture in Women’s Rugby ‘The Game Changer’ held on 13thMay, Reign Total Body Fuel hosted an intimate live conversation with some of the Harlequins Women’s team at a venue in London.
Rachael Burford
England legend and World Cup winner, Rachael Burford, Australian international, Emily Chancellor, and Africa’s first professional female rugby player, Babalwa Latsha, all took to the stage for the first event of Reign’s Fuelling Progress series to discuss the most pressing topics around women’s sports and give an insight into what it takes to become an elite athlete.
“ULTIMATELY OUR SOCIETY VIEWS WOMEN IN VERY PARTICULAR WAYS. THEY MAKE QUITE A BIG EFFORT TRYING TO BOX WOMEN AND TRY TO TELL THEM WHAT TO DO OR WHO TO BE.”
The three internationals gave personal insights to the stereotype of body image for female athletes and although we’ve started to see a change in the women’s game over the years, “we’re not where we would like it to be” said Babalwa Latsha. “It’s really important that we embrace ourselves and we embrace the fact that we’ve got big muscles and start celebrating ourselves, celebrating our physiques in whatever shape or form that we may take because we do amazing things.”
Emily Chancellor, who joined Harlequins following the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand has always had a different relationship with body image. Having made the switch to Harlequins following a hugely successful stint at the Waratahs in New South Wales, Emily found positivity in strength, “I’ve always felt so content with being a girl myself that the strength is just a positive. How cool that I’m strong and I can wear heels and have fun and dress up. The fact that I get to do both, for me, that’s the best of both worlds.”
“IT TAKES A MIND-BLOWING AMOUNT OF COMMITMENT, DETERMINATION AND DISCIPLINE. THOSE THREE THINGS PERSONALLY HAVE BROUGHT ME THROUGH A LOT.”
Speaking on the sacrifices it takes to become an elite athlete, Babalwa Latsha, Africa’s first women’s rugby player to turn professional, said “at the end of the day it speaks to the passion and the love for what you have and what you do and all the hours of work that you’ve put in.”
Check out some inspirational words from Emily Chancellor in the video below and head to the Harlequins YouTube channel next week to watch the conversation in full, which includes a guest appearance from Olympic gold medallist, Kylie Grimes.
For more information, please visit http://reignbodyfuel.com/en-gb/.
With thanks to Harlequins
