She was brought up playing the game in Wellington but didn\u2019t play for three years after moving to the Bay of Plenty after a knee injury.<\/p>\n
Georgia said she decided to give the game another go socially with Te Puke Sports.<\/p>\n
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI loved it and then decided, \u2018no, I actually want to have a real crack at this this year and win\u2019,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The move to the Mount didn\u2019t bring club success. <\/p>\n The Marlins dipped out of the Baywide competition at the semifinal stage to eventual champions Rangatua, a team that featured fellow Volcanix debutant Te Puke High School student Taylor Kingi.<\/p>\n While Taylor was at Te Puke Intermediate School, she was a member of the Te Puke girls\u2019 Tai Mitchell side managed by Georgia.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was really cool to get to play against her a couple of times [in the Baywide competition] after managing her when she was at intermediate,\u201d said Georgia.<\/p>\n Georgia was playing rugby at the earliest possible age at Marist St Pats in Wellington, the club she would eventually represent in open-age rugby.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember being the only girl in my team and hating it just because I wanted another girl. It\u2019s really cool to see that some clubs have a full girls\u2019 team now.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it would have been so different growing up with a bunch of girls in my team.\u201d<\/p>\n Her first experience in an all-girls team was playing sevens for Wellington East Girls\u2019 College.<\/p>\n Although she set out to play rugby seriously in 2025, she had no ambitions to play at provincial level.<\/p>\n AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to go in and enjoy rugby and maybe win something this year. <\/p>\n \u201cBut after hurting my knee and taking a break, I was really worried that I wouldn\u2019t like it \u2013 for anyone who\u2019s had a serious injury, it\u2019s so difficult to return and also to get back to a level where you feel confident and then enjoy the sport. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was probably my priority at the start and I did really enjoy it.\u201d<\/p>\n Coach Zar Lawrence suggested she put her hand up for Volcanix selection if she was keen.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought, \u2018oh, I don\u2019t know\u2019, but I\u2019m grateful to be in that environment now.\u201d<\/p>\n It was Volcanix\u2019 forwards coach Marty Stevenson who called her to let her know she had been selected for the squad.<\/p>\nNikora Broughton of Bay of Plenty against Wellington. Photo \/ Photosport<\/p>\n