Sarah Murphy, whose maiden name was Wilson, made her first debut as an Eagle in 2012. After retiring, Murphy remains an active fan of the National Team and considers that an important part in growing the sport.
Learn more about Sarah:
Q: When and where did you play rugby?
A: I started playing in high school. I played with a girl’s rugby club in central Ohio, which was a city team for high school-aged athletes. I continued that through Ohio State.
Q: When did you play with the Eagles?
A: 2012-2014 I retired after the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2014.
Q: What is your favorite rugby memory?
A: There is so much good stuff that has happened during my time playing. The experience of the World Cup stands out most in my mind. That right next to the Olympics is the apex of the sport. So, going through the entire experience playing with a World Cup squad was pretty incredible.
Q: Where are you now?
A: I live in Denver alongside my husband and our dog, working for the city and county of Denver. We watch rugby all the time, and we would consider ourselves avid fans of the national team. In fact, we even try to follow the national team around.
Q: What do you believe is the most important factor in growing the sport of rugby in the US?
A: I think continuing to evolve opportunities for women’s rugby and girl’s rugby, to help them play more frequently, is important. We have really high caliber athletes in this country and by providing playing opportunities for girls and women allows us to tap into the incredible athletic talent pool which ultimately is going to benefit the growth of the game.
Additionally, I think for those of us who decided to retire from the game that we play an important part to drive interest by being active fans. Just a couple of weeks ago my husband and I brought a friend to a rugby game who wasn’t too familiar with rugby – he loved it and is now planning to go to more games. We all have a responsibility to help push it forward.
Q: What is a piece of advice you would give to aspiring rugby players?
A: Give it a try. If you want to be active and you want to have a community for life than give rugby a try. I don’t know if there is a better sport which can offer that. Everyone that I know who has ever played rugby can name people throughout multiple states in the US and around the world that they know because of rugby. Just give it a shot – what do you have to lose.
