Golden girls Dame Lisa Carrington and Alicia Hoskin have won gold in the K2 500. Video / Chereè Kinnear / Sky Sports / Getty / Potosport
The Brisbane sun is shining on Stacey Waaka’s gold medal but there’s no time for any reflection for the two-time Olympic champion.
Just 11 days after scoring the try in Paris that sealed back-to-back golds for the New Zealand Women’s Sevens side, Waaka will start for the Brisbane Broncos in round three of the NRLW season tomorrow at 3.45pm.
Spending two days in Aotearoa before heading to Australia and linking up with her new teammates, Waaka told NZME she was somewhat surprised to be named on the wing to take the field against the Gold Coast Titans.
An undoubtedly supreme athlete, having won multiple titles in sevens and the 15-a-side codes of union, including two Rugby World Cups, code-switching is a notoriously difficult task even for players of the highest calibre like Waaka.
“I had full trust in my body ... once I got out there and started training I was like, ‘Yeah, this has given me a bit more confidence, I think I’ll be sweet’ but when the coach named me, it did catch me a little bit off guard.”
Sevens, 15s and rugby league are similar in concept only. Placing the ball on or over the goal line is the main objective, but from there they are completely different in personnel and therefore tactics.
Waaka's trademark smile was on full display as the New Zealand Women's Sevens team received their gold medals in Paris. Photo / Getty Images
Different rules are something Waaka must also pick up to have success in league and she said she’s taking a learn-on-the-job approach to the new code.
“I don’t think I’ve got every single rule down pat, [but] definitely know a few more things than I did last week which is really cool.”
The Broncos remain winless after two rounds in the NRLW, having lost to the Eels and Roosters, but Waaka said her first team review following the Roosters match showed there are fixable issues and improvement each week despite the results.
“I actually sat in the review and there were quite easy fixes. They’ve [the Broncos] lost both their games but [there was] lots of improvement from first week to second week and I feel like if we can tidy up some of those then I think we’ll be sweet.”
The return of experienced heads Gayle Broughton, also an Olympic sevens gold medallist, and Shenae Ciesiolka are welcome ahead of the Titans match, as Waaka said across the ditch the rivalry between the Broncos and their foe from up the coast is likened to that of Australia and New Zealand.
“Because we’re so close to one another, we hate losing against each other.”
Ahead of the match, Waaka said the Broncos have put in some impressive training sessions this week and with the additions of Broughton, Ciesiolka and, although she won’t say it, herself, her new team feels they have a chance to beat their rivals and notch their first win of the season.
“They just can’t wait to get out there and play and hopefully get our first dub of the season.”
