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Katy hopes to knock Kiwis off perch
FLY half Katy McLean, from South Shields, is one of the England women's rugby team's most important players as they kick off their World Cup campaign on Friday.
We went to meet the 'female Jonny Wilkinson' at her home in South Shields. Oh, and her dad, David too.
For while our national men's football team may be rubbish, there are teams still out there flying the flag with pride for this country.
One of the most successful is the women's rugby union team, which next month will attempt to wrestle away from New Zealand the crown of world champions.
Leading the charge for glory will be fly half Katy McLean, often referred to as the 'female Jonny Wilkinson' and according to her dad David "the best kicker in the world".
In between shaking her head at her father's relentless use of superlatives, the 24-year-old, who last month picked up the Pride of South Tyneside Judges' Special Award, explains how she shoulders such great expectations.
"I think I'm all right with pressure. I prefer it when it means something."
Having had a kicking session with the great man himself – "He's really lovely" – some of his endearing honesty seems to have brushed off on her.
Her prowess with the boot she maintains is due not to God-given talent, but sheer hard work.
"It's sadly all down to practice. Kicking in women's rugby has come on a lot in recent years.
"Me and Alice Richardson (the other fly half) want to show what we can do at the World Cup."
Ranked No2 in the world, England might have home advantage for this tournament, but she recognises the Kiwis are formidable opponents, much like their men's team.
"The last World Cup was in Edmonton, Canada, four years ago, where they beat us in the final. I was a non-playing reserve.
"They are phenomenal athletes. We played them in November in two tests, and won one and lost one."
Thus far though the build-up has been promising.
"We've had the best preparation individually and as a team, playing a difficult game against France.
"We have been winning of late, but we are not taking anything for granted in our group against Ireland, Kazakhstan and the US. Form means nothing going into a tournament."
You can say that again. Just look at Fabio Capello's men, who qualified with ease for the World Cup in South Africa but were hopeless once it started.
She disputes the fact, however, they played with a lack of ... that word again – pride.
"Whatever the sport, you should be proud to wear an England shirt. I'm sure all the players did. It's an honour to play for your country at anything.
"To me wearing the shirt is the reward for everything you have worked for."
Agreeing to disagree, we delve into her past to discover why she was always destined for great things.
Having taken up the game aged six under the tutelage of her dad, Westoe coach David, 53, she was soon playing for the team, before moving onto Novocastrian rugby club.
After leaving Mortimer Comprehensive School and starting her studies at Sunderland University, she was soon selected for the international rugby squad, and came on to score a conversion in the 60-0 demolition of Scotland in 2007.
"It was amazing, as there were five of us who all came through the academy together.
"It was a relief to just get on, so you can say you have your first cap."
Since then she has gone on to collect an impressive 33 of them, in between playing her domestic rugby for national Premiership side Mowden Park Sharks (formerly Thirsk), based in Darlington.
As if she wasn't busy enough, she's also training to be a primary school teacher on a graduate teaching programme.
This summer all her concentration is going to be on the upcoming tournament, which she thinks could be a real tonic for the game's profile in this country.
"Women's rugby has grown a massive amount in recent years. Hopefully with the World Cup being staged here, it can even more."
As we are taken through a selection of photos through the ages by David, her mum Catherine, 55, chuckles at suggestions she's stuck in a kind of sporting purgatory, where rugby tales are repeated ad nauseum.
"I'm used to it by now. I've actually got quite knowledgeable. If England win the World Cup, we will all be crying."
And before you know it, her dad is off again: "I played rugby for 30 years for Westoe, but I'm nowhere near as good a good a kicker as she is. I don't have the technique.
"We are all so proud of her, but more for her, because of the amount of work she has put in to get where she is.
"She doesn't want people to think she's special just because she plays for England. She's too modest,"
"Oh dad," sighs Katy, rolling her eyes. Deep down though, you know she loves the fact he's her biggest fan.
He's right though. She is modest, but not in a hand-wringing Uriah Heep way.
Hers is the kind of humility that comes from knowing how rugby – like all sports – can be a cruel mistress.
"Every England cap is special, because it could be your last one," she said.
Apparently younger sister Gemma, 18, has no intention of going into rugby, but come Friday at The Stoop ground in London, she'll be there alongside her parents and Katy's friends cheering her on against the Irish.
You get the impression Katy is counting the hours, never mind the days until it all kicks off.
"The girls in the team are really close because a lot of us have come up from the junior squad.
"We all want to prove what we can do and to make people proud."
As David launches into a speech about what it's going to be like when his daughter picks up the World Cup, she sighs and whispers with a grin.
"I love him, but you can't choose your parents can you?"
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Weather for South Shields
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 8 C to 19 C
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