Self-described ‘Energizer Bunny’ Emily Chancellor makes her impression at Harlequins
The Sports Gazette had the opportunity to chat with the energetic and determined Harlequins blindside flanker Emily Chancellor at their training centre in Guildford, Surrey.
The 31-year-old back row joined the Harlequins in August of last year alongside fellow Wallaroos Bella McKenzie and Kaitlan Leaney, who are now calling the picturesque English countryside home.
“It’s exciting to have three Aussies living together. We are living on a farm just outside Guildford, which is an awesome experience,” she exclaimed.
When Chancellor is back at the club, she gets the chance to explore England with her teammates who are preparing for a tough Allianz Premier 15s season.
“Something that I wanted to prove was that you can come from overseas and you can play well. I want to show that you can help to grow both your game at home and individually,” she said.
As a new signing, the blindside flanker has made two starts so far this season, with her debut against DMP Sharks on 28 January, where the Quins hammered the home side 5-49.
This was followed by a dual start with fellow Waratahs teammate Bella McKenzie in a clash against club rivals Saracens on 17 February that saw Saracens emerge victorious, winning 32-12.
Chancellor made the switch to Harlequins following a hugely successful stint at the Waratahs in New South Wales.
She made her Wallaroos debut in 2018 in Sydney, against New Zealand, going on to win the Player of the Year award in a year which saw her earn nine international caps.
Last year, she was named in Australia’s squad for the 2022 Pacific Four Series, with the team falling just short in their opening game against the world number two ranked side, the Black Ferns.
In Australia, where professionalism in women’s rugby is yet to take off, even the coaches are non-professional and must work full-time jobs during the day.
With a shorter six-week season, it is much easier for players to sustain other jobs.
But she prefers professionalism, saying that it is a great opportunity to dive in and focus on rugby for six months without any other distractions.
She added that in Australia women are often torn between joining a rugby union or rugby league team. When youngsters are looking for the next step, they often move to rugby league due to the financial benefits on offer in the country.
“I hate that because I love union. I look at the game that we play and how it’s called ‘a global game’, and while I feel it is a global game in the men’s world, the women’s game in Australia is not yet. In Australia, you play for state and you play for the Wallaroos, and that’s it.”
Chancellor said that she looked at the Allianz Premier 15s as a highly professional competition to play in and did everything she could to make it happen.
She said: “The competition, and the teams overall, are another level up from where we are. It’s just such a different environment.
“If you want to beat the best you have to play with the best. Harlequins is a name that is very familiar and has a great reputation around the world. It’s a great environment and is a great team to play for.
“For me, it’s about coming into the team and trying to be a sponge that soaks up as much information as I can. As much as I want to be a starting 15 player, I want to play. As a starter or reserve, it’s about full-time training and getting the most I can out of the opportunity.”
At Quins, she has enjoyed the coaching of Amy Turner and Brent Janse van Rensburg and is appreciating the wealth of knowledge they have to share in preparing her for her game.
“I am loving learning set pieces and defensive tactics from Brent. Amy is a great head coach. She has been imparting a lot of knowledge on the attack side,” she said.
She enjoys the fact that she is part of a different brand of rugby and there is a lot to learn in terms of lineouts and mauls and the structured kinds of plays.
“I feel like I’ve been welcomed into the environment by everyone on the team,” she concluded.
Chancellor will be making her third start for the Quins when they travel to Heywood Road to face Sale Sharks in their next Allianz Premier 15s match on 26 February.
