Pushing for Piggie Passion
Women’s coach Leanne Saare on the state of women’s rugby and building the Jindabyne Miss Piggies Team.
ON A CRISP AND SUNNY Saturday afternoon in late July, a nest of activity is building at JJ Conor’s oval in Jindabyne. Cars arrive, parking around the oval or up on the hill. A group of girls wearing large sunglasses are sitting in the boots of their cars facing the field chatting to each other. A woman's voice is heard over the loudspeaker mentioning raffles and sponsor flags, the likes of Mitre10 and BWS, line the playing field swaying in the breeze. The sounds of children playing on the grass, the beeb of a car in the background and shouts of players on the field elevate this otherwise calm atmosphere. The Miss Piggies, led by head coach and Canadian native, Leanne Saare, are on the field wearing green jerseys, white shorts and green long socks. At this time in the afternoon the old grandstand is filling with people and a bar serving drinks is open.
Originally from Ontario, Canada near Niagara Falls, 33 year old Leanne came to Australia 11 years ago. Growing up she played rugby throughout high school, at university and then with her county. She fell in love with the sport instantly. “It was one of those things once you start playing, it was almost addictive”. She tells me how rugby taught her to display ‘positive aggression’, “It can be a bit frowned upon for women to show that kind of aggression, but I found the sport of rugby really celebrated it”.
Initially coming out to Australia on an agricultural exchange where she toured farms around the country, Jindabyne ‘found her’ after living a few years in Nowra where she met her now husband, Luke Saare. “Luke loves the snow, so we moved down here to be closer to the snow. I’m not a typical Canadian (laughs), I don’t really ski or snowboard, but I do like maple syrup”. Coming to a town where she didn’t know anyone, she joined the Miss Piggies as a player towards the end of Covid with the intention of meeting more people to help with settling into her new town. Excited to be playing union again she became curious about this rugby club, “Playing the first couple of years with the Miss Piggies was really great, just learning the game is still amazing to me, there is still so much to learn as a player”.
So how did she end up in a coaching role? Dislocating her shoulder at the annual Kiama Sevens tournament in the 2022 pre-season left her unable to play that season. She was devastated, but the women’s coach at the time, Hannah Maloney, suggested she come and help run some training practices. “I did a lot of that last season and I really enjoyed running the training sessions and getting feedback from the girls on what they enjoyed”. With no specific coaching experience, she tells me how her father and two older brothers coach ice hockey in Canada suggesting that perhaps coaching is in her blood.
Growing up in Ontario Leanne tells me that rugby was not popular, particularly in small communities and the public system, and women’s rugby was never televised. However, that has since changed and the success of the Canadian women’s 7s team (they just won the 2024 Pacific Four Series and silver in the Rugby 7s at the Paris Olympics) has brought with it greater awareness and growth. “Now young players all over the world can see the progression through the different levels and it’s something to chase. You’re not creating your own path, you’re following someone else’s”, she states.
Back in Jindabyne, I wander down to JJ Conors oval at 6pm on a dark, cold Thursday night in July. It is training night and while the men's team are spread over half the field, an energetic hub of green running around and shouting at each other, there are just a few girls speckled on the right of the field along with some equipment. Coach Leanne is organising the girls and is dedicated to having a good training session despite the low numbers. She describes the next drill in a clear and composed way. She is serious but fair, systematic but kind.
“We’ve got a young team with the Miss Piggies, so I think there’s definitely a big learning curve to go through. Leanne is drawing on all the support she can get to help improve her team. For Leanne, the time commitment and consumption of coaching and planning is more than she thought it would be but her passion to make a difference is unwavering. “For the Miss Piggies, I think the big thing is redefining ourselves. When I asked the girls what are the three things they want to get out of the season, they said safety and technique, having fun, and learning more about the game”.
Increasing female numbers in a sport like rugby and in a seasonal town like Jindabyne comes with challenges. The cohort of potential players can be seasonal or hospitality workers or those committed to a job or sport on the hill. Retaining players year after year is also hard, especially when the young ones who have come through the Pigglets move away to study. But the main hesitation? The contact. “I think girls are a little nervous about the contact. That’s the biggest thing. And that’s where I want girls to come in and I show them we can take it one step at a time to slowly build up their confidence”. Leanne tells me there is no one body type designed to play rugby (it is open to everyone), but she does believe you need to have grit and discipline, “When you’re thinking you’re done and exhausted you just have to keep going because you actually have more in the tank”.
This season has been challenging for the Miss Piggies but at no point did they put their heads down or stop playing. Still giving their 110% when the scores are not kind is testament to the character of the girls Leanne is coaching. “The girls are hungry, they’re hungry to win, hungry to do better”. This season Leanne has been working with the girls on the mental side of the game. For example, she checks in with the girls when they arrive at training. If they are at 110% she’s going to push them, if they’ve had a bad day and are at 80% she will just have them going through the motions of the drill. Leanne also analysed their game and decided they need to work on their defence. This includes marking up and better communication. “Overall I want to have a positive end to the season, and I want the girls to be happy with where they’ve got to personally”.
Leanne has plans to invest in some solid off-season training. She wants to get the girls into the gym and use other fitness resources in the community, “I want to create a culture where we can get together on a Saturday morning and do a spin class or ParkRun”. Part of her re-imaging of the Miss Piggies is to offer women an avenue to come and join in fitness, to get together and just have a laugh and some fun. “A lot of girls want to do fitness, and they want to do it with a group to have that reliability and accountability”, she says. Leanne believes the most important qualities of a player are the ability to want to keep learning, fitness, and being community minded, "I think fitness is a big one but it’s not something people need to come in with as we can build that”.
Leanne Saare, head coach of the Miss Piggies this season. Photo courtesy of Jindabyne Rugby Club.
Flashback to [insert year], Leanne is playing rugby in high school. During the warm up she is running with her friend and they are chatting along the way. All of a sudden her friend disappears and Leanne keeps running and chatting without realising she has gone. It turns out her friend ran into a rubbish bin and fell over. They laughed about it throughout the entire game and all afternoon. Playing women’s rugby also gives the girls a unique friendship, “We do some team bonding activities like fitness camps and movie nights, but the girls don’t have to be best friends. When it comes to hanging out there’s that level of respect because they’re going through the ‘trenches’ with you”.
When we talk about injury Leanne tells me it is hard to completely eradicate the risk of injury in rugby, but says fitness definitely comes into it, “When we’re not fit, we’re not doing the right technique”. That’s why she wants to push the fitness in the pre-season and teach the girls to be more in tune with their bodies. The team is sponsored by two physios so if a player has a niggle they can usually get straight in. Interestingly, women are more likely do their ACL than men because of the open gait associated with female physiology. As a result, Leanne is dedicated to creating female specific warm ups that make sure the girls’ ankles and knees are switched on properly and prepared for any impact. But when it comes to injury, confidence plays the biggest part, “I want to create an atmosphere where girls feel 100% fit going into pre-season, that there is no question in their mind. Because as soon as you start thinking ‘am I going to get injured’, most likely you will because you’re hesitating”.
When Leanne was playing rugby in first year university, two female coaches came up to her and a third year player and said this training session will determine who will be loose head prop. Intimidated and completely unsure if her skill level was good enough, she gave the trial her best shot. She gained the position and remembers feeling very honoured but also surprised that she could handle the intensity. When I ask Leanne what rugby means to her, she sighs and sheds a tear, “Rugby is a community that is safe, that brings people together. It’s a support not just in rugby but in life as well. If you’re struggling the girls are there for you, right”.
Leanne has a good support network around her. Those supporters include her assistant coach and manager, Saskia Dutch, known as Sass or “the executive” (because she does everything) and the men’s senior coach and head of coaching, Matt Tripet. “I’ve reached out to Matt over the season and he’s 110% behind women’s rugby and wanting to build that”. For Ladies Day this year, Matt approached Leanne at training and said “this weekend is for you girls”. The goal is to create that healthy environment between the men’s and women’s team, almost like a sister-brotherhood.
And what about activewear? As the season takes place across the winter months in Jindabyne, the girls need to dress warmly. Long tights with their rugby shorts over the top and a long sleeve thermal top and a warm jumper or rain coat. I am surprised to hear that many girls are unlikely to wear sports bras, or wear badly fitted ones. Leanne remarks, “I read something that if you’re not wearing a proper sports bra, it actually alters your balance. And balance is a massive thing in rugby. So now I’m like girls, go and get a sports bra!”. The remote town of Jindabyne also doesn’t have a shop specifically dedicated to activewear or sports bras, which makes is less accessible.
I ask Leanne how does she “find her flow” in rugby these days? "Basically I just start ticking off boxes. I make sure I have a good breakfast and heaps of water that morning. Then when I’m warming up, listening to music loosens me up, I have a bit of a dance or sing along in the change room as we’re getting ready”. She continues her flow by reviewing her job as a player for the day, “I’m front row so that means if I get the ball I run hard and straight. I keep my legs pumping and try to crush through a tackle. If I’m in defence I try to get around the ruck or look for opportunities to jackal”. As a player and a coach, Leanne has found great benefit in the power of positive affirmations. “They are what is going to push you through the tough times in the game”. Pre-game she will find an affirmation on YouTube and play it to the team 15 minutes before they hit the field. This mental training is especially important for women, “Us girls tend to get in our head a lot. It’s about fighting that inner voice that’s telling you that you’re s&#t or can’t do it. Not just in the game, but in life as well”.
Back down at Ladies Day, the Miss Piggies are playing a strong and fit ADFA team and while the Miss Piggies have put points on the scoreboard ADFA take the win. I’m at the Ladies Day tent and it’s alive and kicking with female supporters. I see some of the Miss Piggies come out of the change rooms and I run over to a few of the girls, one with her arm in a sling. “What’s it like to play for the Miss Piggies?”, I ask. “It’s getting there, it’s getting better”, one says. “It’s like one big happy family”, says another. They go on to tell me how close-knit the rugby club is and how playing gives them somewhere to go and something to do during the week. But the issues of numbers and injuries in a small town are real. “Rugby is quite intimidating so I think a lot of women hesitate and don’t want to play because it is such a big contact sport”.
I spot Sass, the “executive”, and grab her for a few words. She has almost lost her voice from shouting from the sidelines. She tells me that while the Miss Piggies team is always changing, the bond the girls have is greater than any bond other teams have in the competition. “We’ve got the young, we’ve got the old and it’s just great. We’re strong, we’re there for each other both on and off the field. It’s what it’s all about really”.
Leanne and I meet at Parc Cafe on the Friday morning before Ladies Day. She is warm, friendly and emotional at times during our conversation. As a self-employed remedial massage therapist she tells me she has clients that afternoon and is going home to prepare for Christmas in July. Leanne’s passion for rugby and energy for creating a women’s culture and improving the Miss Piggies is contagious. The atmosphere of the rugby club in general is special, “It makes you feel at home. If you’re not playing, you have to involve yourself in some other way”.
“I think sometimes people just think the girls are there to have fun and drink on the weekends, but nah we are competitive and we want to win, winning is fun”.
“I think there is potential to grow the women’s sport and I’m reaching out to all women in the community to help, because at the end of the day I don’t want it to take us 40 years to get to where the men’s team are. To get there, we need a bit of a push”.