Melissa - Competition Winner
Thank you to everyone who entered our Dream XV competition. We had lots of fantastic teams sent through and loved reading them all.
The winning entry was from Melissa, aged 12. We loved her comments and her enthusiasm for rugby.
Melissa has written an article this month about her love of rugby and about the competition and we are so pleased that she loved her signed prize!
I’m Melissa and I was lucky enough to win the recent rugby competition in Bsporty Magazine for a signed Six Nations rugby ball of my choice, because I picked my Dream Six Nations XV. My list of players was based on Lions players from last year, local heroes and players I admire. Thankfully the judges liked it and I’m now the proud owner of a signed England rugby ball and a signed Ireland ball which are sitting on display on a shelf in my bedroom. I wasn’t expecting to receive two balls and had chosen England (find out why below) but as I am half English and half Irish and found it hard to choose, they surprised me by sending both! Dad says he’s going to get me two kicking tees to put them on.
I am 12 years old and have been a rugby fan since my dad took my big sister and I to watch the WRWC in 2017 when games were played in Belfast. We watched England play and some of the New Zealand team were sitting in the stands just in front of us. It was my first live rugby game, I still have my ticket! I didn't know much of what was going on and looking back I so wished we’d got a picture with the New Zealand players. I picked Vicky Fleetwood in my Dream XV and if I'd known Emily Scarratt was going to be back from injury I'd have picked her too. They both played in my first live game and are still brilliant.
Picking the ball wasn't easy, we live in Northern Ireland and support Ulster rugby because they are our local team and I was once their virtual mascot for the pro14 final against Leinster I didn't get to go to the game because it was behind closed doors way back at the start of lockdown. So you'd think I’d be a Ireland rugby fan and you'd be right but I live in a house where Dad is English and Mum is from Northern Ireland which makes Six Nations weekends a little tricky. Anyway I picked the England ball because I figured I’d probably never get the chance to get a ball signed by Marcus Smith, Maro Itoje and Joe Marler ever again as I'm not likely to bump into them at Ulster rugby. Living in a split house when England play Ireland is probably why I love the British and Irish so much I can support the whole team.
Ulster wasn't the only team I was the virtual mascot for. I was the mascot for the British and Irish Lions in the second test and had a virtual meet and greet with some of the players while they were warming up. It was so cool and I even have a match programme with my picture in. Not many can say they've represented Ulster and the Lions. Both mascot appearances came as a bit of fun during lockdown although it couldn't have been much fun for the teams to play in empty stadiums.
I’m nearly coming to the end of my first year at secondary school and like many kids my last 2 years of primary school was a bit messed up with covid and the lockdowns, I struggled a bit during the first lockdown and was so glad to get back to school but on my first day back I tripped over and knocked my 2 front teeth clean out, I was rushed to the dentist and they put them back in but over a year on I'm going to have to get more work done on them. This has knocked my confidence in joining the girls rugby team at school, so I’m definitely more of a enthusiastic supporter than player. I often wonder how many of the England women's rugby team have lost teeth and how they cope, it’s not something you can just Google but I'd love to know.
I do play netball and have played in the school team, I love playing sport, badminton and tennis are 2 of my favourites to play. I found joining in and playing netball really helped me settle into big school you might not know many people but joining a team really opens up a new circle of friends. I’d tell any kids worried about moving up to big school to put your name down for school sports teams it’s the best way to fit in.
Thank you for liking my Dream XV
Melissa
