After Sevens Setback, 15 Could be Tarni's Lucky Number

by Andrew Bryan

Tarni Peepe could be forgiven for thinking the sporting gods oppose her international debut. Perhaps they are still debating which country she should play for. The Bond University speedster, a member of the Bull Sharks’ inaugural Women’s 15s squad, has a Papua New Guinean mother, a Kiwi father and Australian heritage. She has been on the cusp of selection for both Australia and PNG in Sevens before fate intervened, with the bad luck beginning when she was picked for an Australian youth camp in 2017.

“I was trialling to play for Australia at the Oceania Sevens and the first day I was there, it was like a shotgun going off,” Ms Peepe says. “I tore a hamstring sprinting and was out for months.”

Earlier this year the Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science student was just seven days away from her dream of playing international rugby when COVID-19 changed everything.

There was little grass, plenty of holes in the field, it didn’t matter. That’s how much they love it.

“I was supposed to go to South Africa right before COVID hit to play with PNG in the Olympic Sevens repechage,” Ms Peepe says. “It was the last chance to make the Olympics. It was annoying not being able to go. I’ve made a lot of representative squads and teams but just missed out on playing. It’s been my story to this point and a little disheartening but it wasn’t to be.”

Ms Peepe was scouted by PNG Coach, Paul Tietjens while she was playing for Bond University in a trial match. She qualifies for selection through her mother. Ms Peepe joined her teammates in PNG for a camp in January and was given a personal tour by her grandmother.

“Bubu – that’s the PNG word for nanna – when she found out I was coming over for a camp, she was so excited,” Ms Peepe says. “She met me at the airport, took me to the markets and drove me around to show me places. There was a game of footy happening. There were no lines, the packed crowd were making the lines with their bodies, hundreds of people. There was little grass, plenty of holes in the field, it didn’t matter. That’s how much they love it.”

The lure of an international jersey is strong and Ms Peepe knows what it would mean to her family for her to represent PNG. She has also seen the benchmark and how much improvement she and her teammates need to get to the next level.

“We got to play some trial games against Australia while we were in camp in Sydney,” she says.

“Australia is at another level but it was a great experience. I played with some of the Aussie girls in the youth camps so it was great to see where they are up to. As a developing country, PNG doesn’t have a lot of funds, so travelling to play against other teams isn’t the easiest. Just watching how the Australian squad conduct themselves on and off the field, that’s the standard. It was great to set our own standards for our team.”

The 19-year-old has been a key fixture in Bond’s inaugural Women’s 15s side which has been one of the best teams of the Queensland Rugby Union Premier Women’s competition. She says the transition from Sevens to 15s has improved her overall rugby skills.

“(The Bull Sharks) might be one of the youngest teams but the fight and the heart and hard work behind our performances has been unreal.”