Is there anything Isla Pringle can’t do?
The Otago prop will anchor the Spirit scrum in the Farah Palmer Cup Championship final against Hawke’s Bay in Balclutha today.
The 23-year-old hails from the area. She grew up on a farm near the town and started playing rugby when she was still a pre-schooler.
Fast forward about 10 years and she was the only girl to play in the South Island weight-age tournament in 2012 and even made the tournament team.
There were 400 or so boys at that event, but only one player got their photo in the Otago Daily Times carrying her pet sheep over her right shoulder.
Told you she was a sheep wrangler.
These days Pringle lives in Invercargill, where she works for Environment Southland as an environment technical officer.
She sticks thingamebobbies in the river to measure the flow, quantity and quality of the water and other technical stuff.
Combine that with her skills in the front row and Pringle is the ultimate all-rounder — good in a dark alley and good in a library.
But the only flow Pringle will be interested in this afternoon is in which direction the scrum is heading.
Hawke’s Bay has a big pack and the visitor will look to attack the Spirit in the set pieces. The Tui will attempt to keep the ball in the middle of the field and in the hands of their strong ball carriers.
Pringle is there to help stop that.
‘‘My favourite part is just to be out there working your [bottom] off to help the team and help each other. But I enjoy the attack side and manipulating the defence, running hard and making metres,’’ she said.
Pringle is not even put off by the Spirit’s game plan of shovelling it wide to the flash backs.
It means a lot more running, but she is up for it.
But all those hours spent in the driver’s seat are well worth it, she said.
‘‘It has always been a dream to play for Otago. I love the province and I love the team.
‘‘Some of my best mates have been in the team. I’ve made some amazing memories and been to some pretty cool places to play rugby.’’
The good news for Pringle is she will not have to drive quite as far to play today.
The game is being staged in Balclutha, as Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium was already booked.
‘‘I’m pretty stoked.
‘‘The stadium would have been ideal, but Balclutha is pretty awesome, right?’’
There is more than just the Championship title up for grabs today. The winner will earn promotion to the Premiership and Otago has some unfinished business in the top tier.
It was relegated last year and the team is determined to show it has what it takes to compete at the top level.
The Spirit is unbeaten this season and beat Hawke’s Bay 44-22 the last time the two sides meet.
Canterbury will host Auckland in the Premiership final today.
Championship final
Balclutha Showgrounds, 12.35pm
Otago: Kiana Wereta, Atawhai Hotene, Cheyenne Cunningham, Keely Hill, Olivia Fowler, Sheree Hume, Georgie Cormick, Kristi Kerr, Leah Miles, Zoe Whatarau, Julia Gorinski, Ella Gomez, Paige Church, Tegan Hollows (captain), Isla Pringle. Reserves: Kayley Johnson, Lucy Cahill, Rebekah Wairau, Bella Digby, Grace Carroll, Nicole Kennedy, Brigid Corson, Lucy Hall.
Hawke’s Bay: Rakai McCafferty, Leilani Hakiwai, Amelia Paskala, Jaimee Robin, Apryll Green, Krysten Cottrell, Emma Jensen, Kathleen Brown, Laurae Blake, Tamia Edwards, Leah Tuhi, Nina Pineaha, Jannali Ruawai, Hayley McKay, Gemma Woods. Reserves: Jess Bennett, Melanie Te Whaiti, Tuia Edwards, Virginia Edwards, Kahlia Awa, Shaylee Tipiwai, Nicolette Adamson, Danielle Pomoare-MacKay.
