Tuesday September 5th - It’s the day after the South African game and the mood is good after our 74-8 win at Ellerslie Park.

It’s still a busy day though, first-up with recovery at the local university pool. Don’t be fooled, this is no easy session with the girls all getting a little bit too competitive when it comes to the water volley ball.

On a more serious note we then spend the rest of the morning in unit meetings, going through what we did right and what we need to improve on from the Boks game. This analysis is imperative to making the step up we need for our next game, which is against France on Friday.

We got some R & R time in the afternoon with most of the girls going shopping or out for lunch. It’s always good to get away from the hotel as touring can get pretty intense and it’s also important for everyone to see some of the outside world and not just the hotel’s four walls and the rugby pitch!

In the evening we went bowling and again with 26 players in action as you can imagine the competition was quite fierce!

Wednesday September 6th - To give you an update on the bowling from Tuesday night our team liaison officer, Steve, won with 158 points – I think we can safely say he wiped the floor with the rest of us!

Today has been selection day for our match against France on Friday and as you can imagine, it’s always a bit tense. I’m happy to say I’m starting in the front-row alongside Rochelle Clark and Amy Garnett. We all watched France’s game against Australia and that has made us all the more keen to get on the pitch and get on with the rugby. We all know the best rugby is still to come.

We had training this afternoon and it was a long, but good session. The forwards went through quite a lot of scrums and line-outs and the backs did their thing (!).

In the evening we went out for dinner to a local restaurant called the ‘Moose Factory’ and it was a good laugh. Our team manager ‘JanMan’ decided to surprise us all by turning up in fancy dress as a cowboy on a blow-up horse. I’m not sure what the locals thought but it was very entertaining!!

Thursday 7th September - Breakfast wasn’t until 930 this morning so we had a nice lie in, which everyone appreciated, and the morning was also pretty relaxed with massage and physio sessions before we went off to eat more food at lunchtime. 

The Team Run wasn’t until five this afternoon so I went out to get my hair cut and on the way I bumped into some of the parents, including Jo Yapp’s Dad, Ron. He was saying that he can’t wait for the game against France tomorrow and for me, just talking about it, makes me raring to go! I can’t wait for the game to come and I know all the players feel the same too.

The Team Run was at St. Albert’s RFC, where we are playing our match tomorrow. It’s a little further out than where we have been training and playing our matches, but it’s good to check out other rugby grounds in Edmonton.

Every evening before an international we have a team meeting and then we are presented with our shirts for the game by Geoff (Richards) before we shake the hands of all the management team. This is certainly a special and emotional moment for every player.

Friday September 8th - Match-day is always quiet in the morning and the day started with breakfast and monitoring from 9-10am.  This is to allow us to have some extra time in bed, though for me that didn’t happen as my Mum phoned me extra early, forgetting the time-difference! My boyfriend, Gav, also called to wish us luck for the game.

Unit meetings followed and a walk and a stretch for everyone, and then our motivational video, which got us all in the mood for the game. Then it was off to St. Albert’s Park for the big match against France.

I am pleased to report that we won 27-8 which gives us a draw against the host nation Canada in the semi-finals. We are obviously all delighted to have beaten France and the way in which we won the game was especially pleasing.

As a forward myself, the pack had a tremendous game against a team who are famed for their powerful pack and backrow. We were fully aware of that before the game, but all our preparations have been about focusing on ourselves and what we do best and that certainly worked well for us.

Saturday September 9th - There was a great atmosphere at breakfast this morning despite most of the players having little sleep because we were all just so hyped up from our win against France. TJ (Jenny Sutton), who I am sharing a room with, and I couldn’t sleep either and ended up having an attack of the munchies at 1am!

This morning we had pool recovery and then a big group of us went to a restaurant called Moxies for some lunch as we were free till 5pm. After some good food I came back to have a nap as I was still feeling pretty tired from the game – I am one of the lucky ones who played all 80 minutes yesterday and believe me I loved every minute of it!

We also had our team meeting this evening to go through the French match. We know we have even more tricks up our sleeves for the semi-final against the Canadians. It will be a tough match playing the host nation, but we all know what we have to do!

Sunday 10th September - It’s selection day today and everyone is waiting in anticipation. As it turned out I’m on the bench for the semi-final, which is disappointing, but I hope to come on sometime during the match. The way I look at it, is if you’re on the bench it certainly gives you a real opportunity to make an impact on the game.

We also watched Canada’s last match, which was against Kazakhstan, and we have learned we have got to be ruthless to beat them.  

My boyfriend, Gav, and my mum are on their way out here and I can’t wait to see them. They had been delayed at Heathrow but I am hoping once we get back from dinner tonight – we have an outing to the Mouse Factory! – they’ll be in the hotel.

Monday 11th September - This morning I had a nice bit of R & R time with my mum and boyfriend and we went out shopping and then I came back to the hotel to have a bit more rest.

We had the Team Run this afternoon at Ellerslie Park, which is where we are playing against Canada in the semi-finals. Again, it has been pretty hot but we are getting used to the heat and the training went well. We are all feeling happy and confident ahead of the game.

It’s shirt presentation time this evening and we also have a short team meeting. There is a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of this team as it is obviously a must win game. We all know this is the next step to realising our penultimate goal – to play in the Rugby World Cup Final.

Tuesday 12th September - Today was semi-final match day against host nation Canada and I am pleased to report we won 20-14, but it was tough. As I started the game on the bench it was a really hard experience for me to start with when things weren’t going to plan. We had a big job on our hands and there was never any let-up from the Canadians. We had to show tremendous team spirit to see off the home side, who had amazing support and in the end we got the result. We knew this was going to be a physically tough game, but nothing was going to prepare us for this challenge because Canada played the game of their lives today.

Wednesday 13th September - Everyone is in a good mood today. We are so pleased to be in the World Cup Final!

The morning started with pool recovery for the NPRs (non playing reserves) and the players who only had a small amount of time on the pitch. Then it was off to the gym and unit meetings to discuss how we played in the semi-final against Canada on Tuesday.

We had a nice afternoon, going to a restaurant called Moxies, and then a trip out to Fort Edmonton, an out-door museum about how Edmonton was back in the 1900s. It was great fun and a nice relaxing afternoon out and we even got a ride on a horse drawn carriage by Curly and River (see pictures).

We had a good end to a good day with another trip out in the evening to the Comedy Strip in town which all our friends and families were invited to.

Thursday 14th September - With a four day break between the semi-finals and the finals, rather than the usual three day break cycle at this World Cup, we had a day off!!

It was great, although the weather did try and spoil things!

Originally, the whole squad and management team were supposed to be going canoeing in the morning followed by shopping in the West Edmonton Mall – apparently the biggest shopping centre in the world – and then off to a water-park.

As it had been hammering it down with rain all day, canoeing was cancelled but we still went to the shops, for a spot of lunch also, and then on the waterslides.

All the players really enjoyed some time out and also having time to spend with their families and friends ahead of tomorrow which is when all the hard works starts again as we continue our build-up to the World Cup final against the Black Ferns.

Friday 15th September - Today the team was announced for the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final and I will be starting in the front-row and I am absolutely delighted.

Personally for me it is a huge honour to be involved in the starting line-up within such a fantastic team, from one through to 26.

The team selected is a real mix of experience and youth and that is the blend that is going to stand us in good stead during the match against New Zealand on Sunday.

For those who haven’t been selected in the 22, there are of course some disappointed people. However, we have always said from the beginning that our World Cup campaign has been a whole squad effort. Without their contribution we certainly wouldn’t be in the World Cup final.

Saturday 16th September - It’s raining again and it’s about 3 degrees Celsius! I hope the weather improves for tomorrow.

The atmosphere in the camp is good and today we had a special guest at lunch Bill Beaumont, the former England captain.

We’ve also had our final team meeting, our final Captain’s Run and visited the Commonwealth Stadium where the final is going to be played tomorrow. It’s all coming to an end, except that we have one last task; to beat New Zealand and become the 2006 Rugby World Champions. Finger crossed I’ll be reporting the good news to you tomorrow!

Sunday September 17th - I am gutted to report that despite a tremendous team effort we have not come away from the Rugby World Cup as World Champions, losing 25-17 in a pulsating but very emotional match at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton today.

I am absolutely devastated. We have waited a long time for this and we haven’t achieved our goal. We tried out best and threw everything at it, but today it just didn’t swing our way. This has to be the best ever women’s rugby game. We showed how we can scrummage and our line-outs where fantastic. Unfortunately that wasn’t reflected on the score-board when the final whistle blew.

Monday 18th September - Well that’s my World Cup finished and its back to work on Wednesday morning.  

To not win was obviously devastating after years of hard work, sacrifices and dedication to a sport I love.  However, the experience was fantastic and it’s great to have been part of something special.  There are many that try but only few who are chosen and I was fortunate enough to be one of them.  

I did have one small consolation.  I was chosen in the World XV Dream Team 2006, which I still can’t believe. Six months ago I said to Graham Smith, our forwards coach, that I wanted to be Player of the Tournament, of which he said was a hell of a goal!  What inspired me to say that was narrowly missing out on the England Player of the Year after this year’s Six Nations campaign to Catherine Spencer.  

So now it’s back to normal life and club rugby, back to Gav my fiancé who has been a tower of strength and support throughout the last three and a half years we have been together. All the support friends and family have shown can never really be rewarded other than over a glass or two of wine and many stories to tell of my World Cup journey.

Thanks to you all.

Nessie