Georgia Ponsonby’s rural upbringing the secret to educational and rugby success
Life on the farm is tough but can be the perfect ground from which to grow into a test rugby player.
Black Ferns hooker Georgia Ponsonby credits her educational success and a steady rise through rugby’s ranks to her rural upbringing on her parents Stephen and Rachel’s farm near Taihape.
She graduated from Lincoln University with a bachelor’s degree in land and property management, the day before last month’s test against Japan.
“Whenever I go home, I help out on the farm, and I’m fortunate for it,” the 22-year-old Canterbury No 2 said. She was born in Gisborne, where her parents were shepherds.
“It's long days, early mornings. It's a lot of time on your feet, lifting stuff, and it's good character building.
“Even the smallest of things like chopping firewood.
“I was picking up lambs when I was little for docking. They're good life skills that have built me into the person I am today.”
Ponsonby was given the blessing of the Black Ferns coaches to skip the captain’s run before they routed Japan 95-12 at Eden Park because graduating was a big milestone, she said.
She flew down to Christchurch with her family before returning to play 24 minutes off the bench in Auckland for her seventh test since a memorable but tough debut in Pau on last year’s northern tour.
Ponsonby is another hooker, converted from a No 8, after leaving Manawatū in 2018 for Canterbury because of a rugby scholarship at Lincoln University.
She has featured regularly in their champion Farah Palmer Cup team, with title wins from 2018 to 2020 and in 2022.
But her introduction to test rugby, as the Black Ferns were getting smashed by France before a loud, passionate, whistling home crowd, was not the easiest because she was tasked with aiming up their lineout that was failing spectacularly.
“It was really crazy. The crowd was packed out, it was insane,” Ponsonby said.
“They were the best, so loud, bands were playing, we were losing by quite a lot, and I came on for a defensive lineout.”
The pressure was on when Ponsonby threw her first lineout, but the hours of throwing in her spare time paid off. Her accuracy was pinpoint.
There could be a similar atmosphere should Ponsonby play, as expected, when the Black Ferns host Australia at Eden Park in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup opener in front of a crowd that will shatter attendance records. She would either start or be on the bench behind Luka Connor.
She has started twice this season against Australia in Tauranga and Christchurch and is another of Feilding High School’s rugby talents, following Black Ferns team-mate Sarah Hirini, England hooker Amy Cokayne, and All Blacks Sam Whitelock, Aaron Smith and Codie Taylor.
Praised by Black Ferns coach Wayne Smith for her work rate and ability to get off the ground quickly to tackle and carry again, maybe it was those early starts on the farm which trained her to spring back to her feet.
Ponsonby has ambitions to get into rural banking, but rugby is the focus for now and the fine art of scrummaging.
She has been working regularly with one of its great proponents, Mike Cron, and has learnt to love scrums after an initial reluctance while transitioning from the back to the front row.
“If you ever meet a front rower that doesn't love scrums, then you've got a problem,” Ponsonby said.
“I didn't hate them when I changed from No 8, but I was very sceptical. There is that stereotype about how hard and painful it looks.
“After learning what to do, I've fallen in love with scrums. They're a lot more fun when you're in that front row and in that battle.”