Catha Jacobs

"At some point I had to make a choice: keep rowing or devote (my life) to rugby. My parents wanted me to stay with the former, but I really wanted the rugby dream."

"I loved rowing but it was the same thing over and over again. The excitement wasn’t there for me, and as rugby was packed with thrilling new challenges, it made it easier for me to make a decision"

"I never thought that I would end up playing sevens, and then I was playing it. The same happened with the 15s and me going to England. The world of rugby just opened up to me, and I had to go through those doors. When I raised my hand, I felt it was the right step for me. It was exciting times"

"I got an email from Lewis Sones (Saracens Women’s Performance Pathway Manager), and I thought it was a scam at first glance. I showed it to our High Performance Manager, Lynne Cantwell, and she said she would look into it."

"I struggled mentally in the first season, as I was not used to the weather or the food. It was a complete change of pace for me. I missed home, my family and friends. However, I learnt so much in that first season, and my Sarries teammates helped me every step of the way."