New ‘I’m Powered Differently’ campaign to kick off PWR season

Ahead of the opening weekend of the new season, Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR) is shining the spotlight on nine brilliant players who, alongside starring in the world’s best league, hold down significant careers.

I’m Powered Differently is a campaign celebrating the unique strength, resilience, and determination of female rugby players through the stories of nine diverse athletes, highlighting the job they do alongside their rugby.

It builds on the impact PWR made 12 months ago, launching the league with our first Powered Differently campaign. That project broke all records with more than one million impressions and 640,000 video views through our social media channels. It was also shortlisted for three awards and was Highly Commended at the prestigious Sport Industry Awards.

Sale Sharks Amber Schonert, who also plays for South Africa, shows her huge commitment to the Sharks and playing top-flight rugby by often going from baking in her family's coffee shop to running her own tattoo business and rugby training all in one day.

“I think being a tattoo artist makes me a better rugby player because the communication that I need with people comes into play on the pitch,” Schonert said.
You need to communicate with people well and with your teammates. 

“I also think just having a little escape with something that I enjoy outside of rugby makes you have that little bit of a switch off so that when you go back to rugby, you are really enthusiastic about it.”

Another PWR early riser is Saracens centre Sydney Gregson, who was part of the Red Roses squad earlier this year, has to set her alarm before 5am so she can fit in a gym session before school. She returns to Saracens after work, perhaps finishing her day around 16-hour day after 9pm.

Harlequins scrum-half Freya Aucken is a committed conservationist, having recently qualified as a marine biologist, while Carys Cox is a nurse in Cardiff and a centre at Trailfinders Women, demonstrating the incredible role models we have in Premiership Women’s Rugby and the commitment our players make to rugby.

Cox says: “I’d say some aspects of nursing and rugby are very similar. I’ve mentioned teamwork – it’s a massive part of nursing, and it’s a massive part of rugby, but you’re also problem-solving day-to-day in a nursing environment quickly and on the pitch.”

“It’s very mentally stimulating; you’re genuinely making a difference in people’s lives.

“For me, I always need to be in a job where I’m being pushed, and there’s room for me to grow. Nursing is a profession where you can do that, and you’re also surrounded by people 24/7, which makes me happy.”

Also in the medical profession is Bristol Bears prop Simi Pam, a locum doctor, who fits in her shifts around training and playing so well for the Bears. That level of commitment recently earned her an England call-up just a few years after picking up a rugby ball for the first time.

Flight Lieutenant for the Royal Air Force, scrum-half Lucy Nye has recently returned home signing for Exeter Chiefs.

“I was introduced to the Royal Air Force by a previous head coach I had at another team that I played for,” Nye said. “He was also in the RAF. He spoke about the opportunities and attributes that it takes to be within the military. I think it suited to me to a tee.

“There are a lot of attributes that you have and utilise from the rugby field and also in the military.

“Resilience is one; you go to some dark places on a rugby field with your team, and you work together to achieve greatness. That’s exactly what you do in the military.”

Gloucester-Hartpury full-back Lizzie Goulden works as a solicitor for a company in Wellington, New Zealand, showing her round-the-clock commitment to rugby union and her career.

“We took remote working to the absolutely extreme, and I continue to work for that New Zealand company,” says Goulden.

“I tend to split my days a bit, do a couple of hours in the morning, and then go off to training in the day, and then come back and do a couple of hours in the evening when New Zealand’s woken up and I can speak to clients.

“Some people think it’s crazy to be a lawyer for clients on the other side of the world. For me, with rugby, it just suits me perfectly. It enables me to go to training in the day.”

Loughborough Lightning’s Isla Curphey commutes from Peterborough to Loughborough to fulfil her dream to play for the club while it is a slightly shorter regular hop for Leicester Tigers skipper Roisin McBrien, who works in financial services in Birmingham before hitting rucks at Mattioli Woods Welford Road.

Storytelling and championing the PWR players is at the essence of the new campaign, as PWR Chief Executive Belinda Moore explains: “Excitement is building ahead of this Saturday’s PWR kick off as part of the build-up we want to take the chance to provide a platform for female rugby players to share their stories, encouraging young women and girls to take up the sport.

“As we see from the nine stories in the series female athletes draw strength from their individuality. The stories show us each player’s journey is unique, and their diversity is what powers them. There is far more to our players than the rugby on the pitch, and they are undoubtedly inspiring role models.”

The players featured are:

Amber Schonert – Tattoo artist and Sale Sharks prop
Lucy Nye – RAF Flight Lieutenant and Exeter Chiefs scrum-half
Freya Aucken – Marine biologist and Harlequins scrum-half
Roisin McBrien – Financial Advisor and Leicester Tigers flanker
Carys Cox – Nurse and Trailfinders Women’s centre
Lizzie Goulden – solicitor and Gloucester-Hartpury full-back
Isla Curphey – Quantity Surveyor and Loughborough Lightning prop
Sydney Gregson – Teacher and Saracens centre
Simi Pam – Doctor and Bristol Bears prop