Giving back to the game is La Toya Mason’s drive in her new role as Taranaki Rugby’s Women’s High-Performance Manager.

Mason, the former 2014 England World Cup winner has moved back to New Zealand after moving to the United Kingdom in 2008. 

When the role popped up on Taranaki Rugby’s website, Mason knew straight away that she wanted to apply for it.

“I had always said I would come home once I had finished playing rugby. When the TRFU role came up I knew straight away I wanted to apply for the role that appealed for me – to help grow the female game and most of all help develop female players to push onto higher honours,” she said.

Mason applied for the role with no expectations as moving back to New Zealand was a big deal for her and was appointed to the role in February 2020.

“When I got offered the role, I was so excited and couldn’t wait to get started with the province as I could tell the union really wanted to build on the Port Taranaki Whio set up.”

Mason went into isolation before her sister’s wedding and only since Alert Level 2 she has had the chance to meet her Taranaki Rugby colleagues face-to-face.

Born in Helensville, the 70 capped England international has a lot to give back to the women’s programme with the Port Taranaki Whio competing in the Farah Palmer Cup.

The 35-year-old has played in three Rugby World Cups in 2010, 2014 and 2017. Adding to the World Cups, Mason also played in eight Six Nations campaigns and numerous summer tours and autumn internationals.

“My plan was to go for two years play in the 2010 World Cup and then come home. Little did I know I would go into play 70 times for England,” she said.

Mason moved back to New Zealand just before lockdown but is now in New Plymouth planning for the season.

For Mason, she wants to be able to pass on her knowledge and experience on to help players, clubs and coaches to push on and compete to the highest level.

“To give those young schoolgirls, who have so much potential and raw talent, the opportunity to play rugby so they can represent the Port Taranaki Whio.”

The big goal for Mason is to see some of the current crop of players in the Black Ferns set up in the 15s and sevens games. There is also an intent to have a larger catchment of Port Taranaki Whio players to perform on and off the pitch. 

Adding to Mason’s on field playing experience, she also has a hand in refereeing.

“After I stopped playing, I got given an amazing opportunity to give the refereeing side of rugby a go.”

Mason said she was nervous before her first game but once kick off happened, her nerves were gone and she enjoyed it.

“It’s just so funny hearing what players are saying and then when I started to ref player’s I had played with, that was funny as they would try say stuff to me and I would just laugh at them.”

“Coming from a playing background helped me advance so fast in the ref world. I even got the chance just before I left England to be the fourth official for the England vs Ireland in the Women’s Six Nations which was a cool experience after playing in it so many times,” she said.

With the support of proud partner Port Taranaki, the women’s game in Taranaki has continued to grow with 1,707 female players registered in Taranaki last year.

Port Taranaki is the proud sponsor of women’s rugby in Taranaki, partnering with the Farah Palmer Cup Whio campaign the women’s sevens campaign and the secondary school girl’s competition.

Article added: Tuesday 26 May 2020