'Rugby's unbelievable... I have done things I only thought were possible in movies'
Kiki Morgan is feeling overwhelmed. The USA sevens player has just come off stage in Dublin at a launch event attended by World Rugby big-wigs Bill Beaumont and Brett Gosper and the enormity of it all is only hitting home while she struggles to slowly chew some food.
One of 24 American athletes who have been training full-time since January at their Olympic training site in California, the 24-year-old has come a long way in a short space of time.
Not until she was 17 and a few months into college at Brown University in 2012 did she first pick up a rugby ball, but the sport has effectively changed her life.
Her backstory growing up in Rhode Island is why she has now been chosen as one of the 15 examples of unstoppable women in rugby who have been chosen to front a campaign aimed at dramatically growing the profile of a sport that Beaumont feels will be rugby’s biggest growth sector in the next 10 years as the attempt to monetise it and increase the global playing base.
The promotional Unstoppable XV is diverse and wide-ranging, drawn from around the globe with each character coming to the party with a very different tale aimed at giving some girl somewhere the nudge to come forward and give the game a chance.
Our very own Kiki Morgan is an inspiration to #WomenInRugby 🇺🇸
HER STORY » https://t.co/HUcQIrGeYo #TryAndStopUs | @WorldRugby pic.twitter.com/pDvWHpDo1L
— USA Rugby (@USARugby) May 21, 2019
Morgan’s own narrative focuses on bereavement and how she eventually battled through to blossom. She was 18 months old when she arrived in America from Jamaica and life then changed dramatically aged 10. Her mother Karlene passed away from ovarian cancer detected when she became pregnant with Morgan’s younger brother. The devastating effects were long lasting.
“She was my form of strength, my confidante. I looked up to her as the strongest person I knew and to just watch here fade away before my eyes and then have no way of expressing that afterwards really caused me to close in on myself,” said Morgan to RugbyPass.
Overnight, her personality changed. “I became very introverted, was very much living my life in my head. Afraid of the world and afraid of feeling. I still don’t like reading books unless I know it is a happy ending because life is sad enough, so why put myself through that in a story?
“I use a story as a form of escapism, I don’t want to feel sad. But rugby has changed that. I don’t need that form of escapism as much because I’m happier, I’m more present and enjoying every day.”
Morgan’s transformation was pure opportunism. Coming from a place where track and field and soccer were the only sports for girls, her introverted mind convinced her she would spent the rest of her life in Pawtucket Island just a few miles away from the house she grew up in.
Then came rugby and the world suddenly became her oyster. “The reason people stick with a sport such as rugby is because of the social aspect, because of their friends, because of the community. That was the reason I tried out rugby.
Life will hurt sometimes. This game will give you strength.#TryAndStopUs #WomenInRugby
Start Rugby. Become Unstoppable. https://t.co/smZYTw71Ol pic.twitter.com/udDSiy1zH7
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) May 21, 2019
“When I first saw it, I didn’t think I was good enough. I didn’t think I was strong enough or fast enough but it was my friend who said, ‘You need to come out, you need to try out his sport with me and I guarantee that it will be the best decision that you have ever made’.
“I tried it and loved it… but if it wasn’t for my friends and their encouragement to try the sport, my life would have been completely different.”
It took Morgan a while to fully realise she had potential, her first invite to step on the representative circuit greeted by incredulity on her part. “A few months after I started playing I went to a camp in Boston and the then USA head coach, Rik Suggitt, was there.
“We’d a nice talk and after that camp I got an invite from the Olympic committee to go to San Diego to a US rugby camp there. I thought it was a joke. I responded to the email, ‘Are you kidding me?’ They responded back, ‘No, we are serious. We’d like to invite you out for a camp’. I said ‘Yes’.”
Ever since, rugby has taken Morgan on a journey far greater than she could have ever imagined, not only allowing her to grow as a player but more importantly as a person, the memory of her mother driving her on to this day.
“One of the only mementoes I have left of her is her ID and I always carry that around with me so that she is physically always with me.
Start Rugby. Become Unstoppable
➡️ https://t.co/smZYTw71Ol #TryAndStopUs #WomenInRugby pic.twitter.com/UF1reaYs1M
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) May 23, 2019
“Rugby’s now full time. I started in January of this year. I graduated with a degree in theatre and sociology and I would have stayed in Rhode Island. I would have explored life there, but now there is so much more open to me.
“It’s unbelievable. I have friends in Japan, I have friends in Australia, I have seen the amazing buildings in Dubai, I have done things I only thought were possible in movies.”
Her script is set to become even more dramatic. As soon as the USA steps on the pitch at the season-closing sevens event in Biarritz next month, they will have done enough to qualify for next year’s Olympic Sevens in Tokyo.
Those Games will be massive. So, too, the recently planned world series shake-up. Up to now, the men’s and women’s sevens have been at different stages of development. Ten pit-stops for the men, all in high-profile destinations, but just a half-dozen for the women.
While there is an overlap of the two circuits in Dubai and Sydney, the women have largely ploughed their own furrow. Colorado, Kitakyushu and Langford have been curious destinations on a calendar that culminates in Biarritz on June 15/16, the same weekend the sold-out Top 14 league final takes place in Paris.
Next year, though, there will be more equality. The women’s calendar jumps from six events to eight, with Dubai, Cape Town, New Zealand, Sydney, Hong Kong and Paris hosting combined men’s and women’s events in the first year of a new four-year cycle.
After @BlackFerns tight win, it keeps them at the top of the @HSBC_Sport Women's Sevens Series standings pic.twitter.com/O2iTy3Fl6E
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) May 12, 2019
This alignment is part of the reason why World Rugby is keen to strike now and get the message out there that it has some inspirational women involved who can greatly help grow playing numbers and profile.
“This presentation has been very important,” said Morgan, reflecting on a morning’s mingling with administrators such as Beaumont and fellow players who have been making waves in the game just like her. Stints at clubs in Japan and Australia in the last year were what helped yank her into the full-time USA set-up.
“As I was growing up there wasn’t many female role models for me to look up to, especially in the rugby community because it was just starting out, just gaining momentum.
“This game will give you strength” – A message from @USARugby’s Kiki Morgan #TryandStopUs #WomenInRugby pic.twitter.com/6iyfHgLkDC
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) May 21, 2019
“I didn’t know about the sport until I arrived at college, so sharing my story is not about me, it’s about giving voice to those who normally don’t get the chance to… I’m unbelievably honoured, just meeting everyone and hearing their stories. It has inspired me.
“I’m embracing the uncertainty of the future. I have no idea where rugby is going to take me. All I’m worried about is becoming the best player I can and learning as much rugby as I can.
“We’re really exited USA is embracing rugby and we just want to continue to build on that excitement to create more opportunities in rugby and to really go even further from here.”
WATCH: World Rugby launches its new Women in Rugby initiative in Dublin
Comments on RugbyPass
We had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
7 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
7 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
60 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
60 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
7 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
60 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
60 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
60 Go to comments