Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Women's rugby's ultimate all-rounder?

Meet Emmi Laine, who will be playing for Finland in the European Sevens this weekend. What is so special about her? Well, she is one of the more remarkable, not to say busiest, people in the rugby world.

Emmi, 28, who comes from Jyväskylä in Finland is, presumably in her "spare time" (being as its pretty unlikely that anyone in Finnish rugby gets paid) ...
  • Finland's first ever female international rugby referee (refereed at the European Sevens Division 2 tournament two weeks ago)
  • Centre/wing for Finland's 15-a-side national team
  • A leading member of Finland's sevens team ("player of the tournament" at the Amsterdam Sevens in 2010)
  • A leading administrator with Finland's national rugby union
  • The IRB's "lead contact" for women's rugby in Finland
  • Organiser of Finland's famous "Lumirugbya" (snow rugby) tournament
In short, there is almost nothing in Finnish rugby that she does not seem to do, other than maybe drive the coach. Is there any one person anywhere else in the world more involved with in every aspect of the game than Emmi?

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