Wallaroos utility back Trilleen Pomare is not just prepping for a crunch game against Scotland this afternoon but tapping into the goodwill of her teammates to lend her a few extra tickets for her extended
whānau from the Far North, who will come down to see her play.

Born in Auckland, her mum hails from Rahiri in Ahipara and dad from Utakura, 27 kilometres northwest of Kaikohe, and all her aunties, uncles and grandparents all live up that way.

“It’s special to be home, on home soil, bringing rugby to Northland. It’s unreal,” the 29-year-old said.

Pomare played rugby league for the Te Atatu Roosters and was 16 when she moved to Perth with her parents and started playing rugby.

She’s on the bench against Scotland at the Northland Events Centre.

“I used to get a bit of flak to be honest from my family asking why I don’t play for the Black Ferns but I think Aussie has given me and my family so much opportunity, so to play for this country is something special,” Pomare said.

“Being able to put on a green and gold jersey while still having my Māoritanga and my connection to my land, it’s something special.”

Australian captain Shannon Parry said everyone in the team loved to be around Pomare and it was great being in Northland where her extended family still lived.

“She’s been able to show us a thing or two which is really exciting. She’ll have heaps of family and friends here. No doubt, she’ll be asking us for a few extra tickets but it’s great. She’s a great kid to be around,” Parry said.

Pomare recalled coming up to the Far North every school holidays and playing footy on the front lawn with her cousins.

“We had tea tree home-made goal posts and we used to play footy non-stop. Just humble beginnings, swimming in the creek, that kind of bush lifestyle,” Pomare said.

“Hopefully I can spend some time here. Hopefully next week, I can go up north on my day off, go and see my popa, go chill out, hang out at our homestead. I’ll be up in the bush, hopefully next week.”

Playing against the Black Ferns last weekend in the city of her birth and in front of mum and dad was pretty special. What were the nerves like? “I turned the challenge into excitement. We held them out for a good 50 minutes, just think we’ve got to hold on to the full 80 and we’ll be able to get some results.

“It was an unreal experience, the crowd, the atmosphere was amazing. Having so much family in the crowd, it just made that all that much [more] special.”

Pomare debuted for the Wallaroos at the Women’s World Cup in Ireland in 2017, against the hosts.

When she moved to Perth, rugby coach Wayne Walden saw a little bit of talent in her and brought her under his wing.

“I had good people who looked after me in my first club and they let me express myself to be honest and let me run amok,” she said.