\u201cHooker\u2019s such a specialised position, so it\u2019s not as easy to grow depth in that position. I mean to have more and more depth would be amazing, but that\u2019s just the situation that we\u2019re in at the moment.\u201d <\/p>\n
It\u2019s a situation NZR could be open to exploring more in the women\u2019s game moving forward. <\/p>\n
Speaking to Newstalk ZB, NZR general manager of professional rugby and performance Chris Lendrum said it might make sense to take a \u201cslightly different approach\u201d to eligibility exemptions for the top women players than that applied to the men\u2019s game. <\/p>\n
\u201cA player\u2019s long-term commitment, evidenced both through what they\u2019ve done for us prior to going and then their intentions when they come back, is really important. It\u2019d be fair to say that we\u2019re also thoughtful about our eligibility criteria,\u201d Lendrum said. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe know that our players generally don\u2019t play anywhere near the number of games per year that our competitors in England and France and even with Canada play. So we\u2019re thoughtful about whether we need a slightly different approach for our leading women\u2019s players as opposed to our leading men\u2019s players at the moment, who get plenty of rugby during the course of the year. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not something that we\u2019ve made any decisions about firmly, other than obviously the exception in Georgia\u2019s case at the moment. But we\u2019ll be reviewing everything once this campaign\u2019s over and we see how the players return into New Zealand Rugby later in the year and it might be an opportunity that\u2019s taken advantage of again in the future.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ponsonby was one of three Black Ferns to take up fulltime contracts in the PWR after last year\u2019s World Cup, alongside lock and Trailfinders teammate Alana Borland and Exeter prop Amy Rule. <\/p>\n
Other Black Ferns have also been playing in the English competition as injury replacements while remaining contracted with NZR, with co-captain Ruahei Demant (Bristol Bears), prop Tanya Kalounivale (Ealing Trailfinders), lock Maiakawanakaulani Roos (Ealing) and loose forward Liana Mikaele-Tu\u2019u (Harlequins) all named in the Pacific Four squad, while Layla Sae was playing for Harlequins but was ruled out for the campaign because of an ACL injury. <\/p>\n
While speaking to the Herald from London, Ponsonby couldn\u2019t help but laugh as she crossed paths with Kalounivale and 20-test Black Fern Ruby Tui, perhaps an indication of the increase of Kiwis in the English competition. <\/p>\n
\u201cOh my god, you wouldn\u2019t believe it. I\u2019m out on my walk and I\u2019m just bumping into Tanya and Ruby Tui in bloody London.\u201d <\/p>\n
As for the rugby, Ponsonby said there was a rhythm that came with playing in a 20-week competition that was hard to compare to anything she\u2019d experienced in New Zealand. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really good when you\u2019ve got back-to-back games and you just get all of those little things right and then you kind of get into that flow state, which I guess, when you only play four, five games in a row at home and then it\u2019s done and then you\u2019re on a big break, it\u2019s hard to get into that flow state,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what I\u2019ve loved the most here; rugby\u2019s just part of your life. The game is every Saturday and that\u2019s what you\u2019ve got to prepare for. I think that makes a huge difference. You just get a lot more consistency in your game.\u201d <\/p>\n
Ponsonby will return to the Trailfinders after the Pacific Four series, as the Ealing side looks to secure a spot in the top four and march into the post-season. Heading into the international break and with two rounds left of the regular season, the Trailfinders sat fourth on the ladder, with a four-point buffer over the fifth-placed Sale Sharks. <\/p>\n
She did, however, expect to return to New Zealand once the PWR season was over. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll be coming back home. I don\u2019t really want to look too far ahead. <\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, I\u2019m committed to my team here and hopefully my Trailfinders team can make the top four. So it depends on a lot of things, like how well my team goes over here, how long our season will last, etc. But I\u2019m with the team until the end of June and then, we\u2019ll come home and go from there.\u201d <\/p>\n