Failure not an option for Bok Women star

EXCLUSIVE: Veroeshka Grain is no stranger to sports. Born and raised in Paarl, she participated in athletics and was once a promising hockey player.

However, like many current women’s rugby players, she was snapped up by a mentor who saw her immense talent and lured her to the side of the oval ball.

Grain, who attended New Orleans Secondary in Paarl, started playing provincial rugby as a young girl at Boland Rugby Union in 2006.

“I was training hockey after school and the rugby coach approached me to join the women’s team.

“The school used to play one derby match a year. The team had one number short, and the coach asked if I could fill the gap seeing that I was very quick.

“At first I was very hesitant because we thought that rugby was not for girls.

“But he told me I could play wing, and I would just catch, pass and run,” Grain told Rugby365. 

“I played for the school for three years and in Grade 11 one of the scouts of the Boland Rugby Union invited me for trials and then I got selected for Sevens and 15s”

She added: “I eventually attended Stellenbosch University where I played for Maties and Western Province.

“It was tough; at that time WP was a big step up because they were playing in the Premier Division.”

During her stint in the WP Women’s team, Grain was a leader and made more than 50 appearances for the Cape Town-based side before returning to Paarl to join the Boland Dames.

The 34-year-old has been at the Dames for the past two seasons.

Grain revealed that the transfer from WP to Boland was personal and motivated by the desire to be closer to her five-year-old son.

“At WP when I used to return from training, it would be really late, and my son would be asleep. So I would only see him in the morning before school but now at Boland, I see him more.

“I go to training, come home at 18.00 (local time) and still have time to spend with him.”

For many women having to juggle motherhood and being an elite athlete does come with challenges and for Grain it has been no different

Most female athletes have to choose between their careers and their families.

Tennis players Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are some of the well-known stars that have returned to their profession, while the likes of Grain, Black Fern Dhys Faleafaga and Red Roses lock Abbie Ward,  to name a few, return to the rugby field despite the struggles.

Grain said knowing she is her son’s role model is worth all the sacrifices.

“With 15s you go on tour for longer periods, and you have to sacrifice.

“But you find a solution.

“I have a little five-year-old boy who also wants to play rugby and he is looking up to me, so I don’t expect to fail.

“I know it’s okay to fail, but you have to get up again.

She added: “I’m doing all this for him and all the little girls growing up in Paarl who want to play rugby.”

Boasting 21 Springbok Women caps which include two World Cup appearances, Grain is working hard to make the cut for the showpiece later this year.

Grain was part of the recent Springbok Women alignment camp held in Cape Town.

“My ultimate goal for this year is to go to the World Cup.

“I want to compete and not just participate. I want to be the best in my position. I want to put the team on the front foot.

“I’ve been to two World Cups, and I know the amount of pressure because everyone wants to win.

“But we have to start with these alignment and warm-up games.

“But I really want to make the World Cup squad.”

Unlike in previous years, the dual athlete – who plays Sevens and 15s – has placed all her focus on the latter format in the hopes of making Swys de Bruin’s team.

“The last World Cup I played both Sevens and 15s.

“However this year I only focused on 15s, so there is time to do recovery and for self-introspections. I have time to analyse things.

“We have a lot of coaches involved outside our management. Like a kicking coach or scrum coach that helps us with a few things we still lack, which is a good thing for us.”

The Springbok squad’s next assembly is on April 2, which will signal the start of their international season.

The team have lined up a tour to France and Spain, while announcements on a number of home Test matches and more warm-up fixtures in July will be announced later.