From Grassroots to Pro | Sale Shark's Georgie Perris-Redding
October 17th, 2024
“...it's just really comforting to know that I'm protecting my teeth, but also it's something that I feel comfortable in and, you know, it might not be the most attractive thing, but it's definitely, better than no teeth.”
Watch Sale Shark's Georgie Perris-Redding tell us about her journey with OPRO from grassroots level rugby to playing professionally with USA Rugby.
My name is George Perris-Redding. I play back row number seven. I play for Sale Sharks Women and USA.
My journey into rugby was, I guess, slightly different. I started with the boys in my local club. I guess I was quite lucky because I was so young when I played on an all-boys team, but already at that age, I knew that there were challenges of being the only girl. So, I gave up rugby. Not long after playing with the boys, to be fair.
I didn't last too long. I think I played for maybe a couple of seasons. I picked up trampolining and found my way from trampolining through to gymnastics, and I did it, I don't know, maybe ten years. Weirdly, I love the sport. It's quite angelic, so I didn't know how I made it work, but found my way back to rugby.
I think I realised that I was too aggressive for other team sports like netball, I got bored of getting sent off all the time. So I found my way back to rugby and then the person who reintroduced me to rugby was a local RFU community coach, a guy called Jules - a great guy, and yeah, he got me back addicted to the game.
So, my club journey, I started with the local team, played a seasonal or two there, I spoke to a local championship coach, and she said, look, we think you've got potential, come down and play for our team in Waterloo, and that's how it started. I played for them there, then got promoted into the Premiership a year later.
That was the start of my Premiership journey and I played and in the league since and this is my fourth year at Sale now. I don't know how long I've worn OPRO for but, I first got my first Sale Sharks mouthguard when I first signed here, So, four years ago.
It's just really comforting to know that I'm protecting my teeth, but also, it's something that I feel comfortable in and, you know, might not be the most attractive thing, but it’s, better than no teeth. Don't know if you can put that in there. My USA career, I guess, started quickly, I had some conversations a couple of years before I got capped.
At the time, I was playing in a different position and the head coach at the time got in touch with me and asked if it was something I was interested in, which of course, I absolutely was, and then, yeah, I played my first game, and from there it snowballed very quickly.
I went to the World Cup that year, so, yeah, it was, all very, very quick. But yeah, absolute love that journey so far. A lot of challenges. But, yeah, I'm really enjoying it. I think there's quite a few factors that have changed my playing style, I think. So typically, a seven or back row is normally one of the bigger, stronger, more physical players.
And I think, I sort of challenge the stereotype with that. I'm slightly smaller, if not quite a bit smaller. And I'm not as big as, you know, normally you'd say or the back row. So, I had to become quicker. I had to become more nimble, a little bit more dynamic and use my speed. So, yeah, I'd say there were lots of factors, but probably my size is the biggest thing to contributing to a different style of play.
Yeah, I definitely… there's been numerous occasions, I think, where I've laid on the floor. And so, I'm very grateful for my, shield right now. As you know, the game is everyone's getting stronger, the game is getting more brutal. And I think there's numerous times where I've either taken a big hit, maybe a high hit, or had my head in places where you don't really want and felt contact to my teeth and face.
I think having the comfort through the gumshield is massive. And I'm very happy so far. I've got all my teeth still. So, it must be working. But yeah, numerous, numerous occasions, I'd say I'm very grateful for my gumshields my hopes for women's rugby in the future.
I hope that it becomes more accessible. I hope that it's an option for girls that go to school. I hope that it's, you know, something that's accessible, irrelevant as to your background or where you come from. I also hope we follow in the steps of women's football and, we become more professional.
And I hope one day it's, you know, fantastic. Now with red roses and many other international teams leading the way. Contracts in their players. But I hope that that's something we can do in the league. And, you know, hopefully in the future. It's something that a lot of girls can call their work and, as they should, a lot of girls work really hard, so hopefully one day that will pay off for them.
