Comley does not mind getting bruised playing for the Women’s Sevens Boks
Pretoria’s Megan Comley was a key player in the success of the Springbok Women’s sevens-rugby team at the recent African Cup Tournament.
Megan Comley is walking around with a black eye, two weeks ago she had to go for stitches. How bad can life be for a woman?
The reality is that Comley is far from being despondent. She is, in fact, ecstatic.
Last weekend the Springbok Women’s Sevens Rugby Team won the African Cup Tournament played in Tunisia by beating Kenia 17-12 in the final. In doing so, they qualified for next year’s Commonwealth Games and the Seven’s World Cup Tournament in the USA.
Comley was a key player in the success of the Sprinbok team. She even scored her first try for the team during the tournament in Tunisia.
All of this means Comley is one step closer to fulfilling the prophecy of a primary school teacher who said she has the potential to represent South Africa one day at the Olympic Games. Women’s Sevens rugby is an Olympic sport.
“The fact that we have qualified means we have a chance to change the future of South African women’s rugby forever,” said the former UP-Tuks Sevens player.
Ironically a few years back Comley did not even realise that women can play rugby.
“I was a keen sprinter, but I knew that my sports career was going nowhere fast because there is not a lot of opportunities in South African athletics unless you got the money to pay your way. Everything changed when I was at a festival with friends. A woman walked up to me and complimented me on my physique saying that she can see that I am strong and fast. She then asked whether I ever considered playing rugby. That was the first time I ever heard that women could play rugby,” she explained.
As one to never shy away from a good challenge, Comley decided to give it a go, so she went to train with the Sharks team. She then got an offer to play for the Lions before being lured to the Blue Bulls.
It was Riaan van der Merwe, UP-Tuks coach, who suggested to her to also consider playing sevens rugby.
“I jumped at the opportunity to play for Tuks as I knew they got one of the best women’s sevens sides. I never regretted it.”
Comley’s skills did not go unnoticed. Two years ago she was made an offer to join the Springbok squad. She made her official debut for the Boks at the Hong Kong Sevens Tournament that year.
Receiving her Springbok jersey from the former Bok captain, Jean de Villiers, is something that will stay with her forever.
Comley is quite philosophical about the risk of injury playing rugby. She believes that if you go 100% into a tackle using the right skill you will never get hurt.
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