Sarah Riordan could have called time last year and celebrated a worthy career in the Wallaroos backline, the 2017 World Cup, Super Rugby Women’s escapades and a dabble in NRLW.
Instead, the competitor inside her knew there was more.
With no guarantees except a spot in the off-season training squad, she started paying her own travel from Sydney to Brisbane to audition for the Queensland Reds.
The very act of showing how much a back to the future reboot meant to her had Reds coach Andrew Fraser paying attention.
Fast forward more than four months and Riordan, 32, is the starting No.8 for the Reds’ season opener on Saturday against the Fijian Drua in Lautoka in SMARTECH Super Rugby Women’s.
It’s a wonderful story of drive and resilience which are exactly the traits that sportswomen everywhere should be celebrated for on International Women’s Day.
Riordan was in the centres for Queensland when Super Rugby Women’s was born in 2018 and proudly holds Reds cap #186.
“I’m starting again, really,” the Australian Defence Force corporal said.
“I’m learning new things and asking plenty of questions.
“Playing in the backrow is exciting after starting out in Super W as a centre. It’s learning the finer points of a new position.
“As a No.8, there’s obviously working with the rest of the backrow. The peer evaluation and the backrow group is really strong and supportive at the Reds.
“I returned to the Reds with the thought I’d play anywhere to get on the field so it’s a good feeling”
“Anywhere” was literally how it rolled out in the Reds’ opening trial against the ACT Brumbies when Riordan was a pinch-hitter at prop in uncontested scrums.
She’s happily leaving the front-row work to Wallaroos Eva Karpani and Bree-Anna Browne, Cristo Taufua, Joiwana Sauto and teenager Sky-Yvette Faimalie against the Drua.
The eight Reds debutants in the ranks will be presented with their match jerseys by the coaches at a ceremony tonight.
Riordan’s physicality will be needed against the impressive Fijians.
She is upbeat about how far Super Rugby Women’s has come since 2018 but knows there is more.
“There are plenty of examples of the levels that women’s sport can reach,” Riordan said.
“We have some amazing athletes in Super Rugby Women’s.
“The Reds and Queensland rugby brought me back to Queensland. There’s a real family interaction and welcome from the boys of the men’s team which I didn’t experience at the Brumbies.”
How far she has come is obvious every day at Ballymore where she trains in the BMS National Rugby Training Centre with its state-of-the-art rugby gym and recovery facilities.
“I used to train in the old tin shed,” Riordan says with a wave towards the hot house on the far side of the training field.
“We’ve come a long way.”
Riordan is determined to be part of taking women’s rugby even further.
The Reds women made their first overseas trip in their 28-year history to Tonga last year. Just eight months later, they are on their second in Fiji.
This week’s visit to Sabeto District School, outside Nadi, was a wonderful insight into the sheer joy of Fijian kids and their love of rugby.
Eva Karpani, Vineta Teutau, Layne Morgan, Teagan Levi and teammates took little prompting to join some dancing with the kids. Lori Cramer doing a breakdown drill with more than 20 kids put a smile on everyone's faces.
Now for Saturday’s moves on the field.
