Aussie ‘war goddess’ plays on with broken nose
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An Australian female rugby player has won global acclaim after she played out a rugby sevens match with a broken nose.
Lindenwood University player Georgia Wood injured her nose in a crunching challenge on an opposition player, with video showing her remarkably getting up and making two more tackles.
Dubbed the “The Rugby War Goddess”, she told Athletes Talk she suffered the injury during the first tackle of the game.
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“I originally thought oh no, my nose is completely on the other side of my face. I’ve broken it,” she said.
“I’m thinking to myself ‘oh no’. So I touched it really quickly and it was still there and I thought ‘oh it’s fine’.”
— Georgia Page (@geo_page) June 6, 2015
With blood pouring from her nose the referee ordered her from the field, although she returned soon after and played out her side’s victory.
While she has been delighted to talk up the commitment and toughness of female athletes after the notoriety, she said she was a little disappointed about being dubbed the ‘Rugby War Goddess’ because people have “made it more about my looks rather than being tough about it”.
Since the incident Ms Page has been inundated with media requests which she has been responding to and sharing on her Twitter feed.
Thank you @Aussies_Abroad made it back to Australia! Hopefully I left an impression to the Americans what rugby is really about!
— Georgia Page (@geo_page) June 7, 2015
“It was hard. Sevens is a killer for endurance,” she said. “It’s hard when you can’t breathe out of your nose.”
“I thought to myself I’ve got to get up, get back in the line and work with the girls.”