Lori Cramer and Charli Jacoby met through rugby and have been dating for around 18 months. In that time have played on the same team at Exeter Chiefs (pictured) as well as against each other, so Saturday’s meeting is nothing new to them.
“We’ve played against each other so many times so we totally keep it separate,” Cramer said.
“There’s rugby and then there’s us and they’re two totally different things.
“Obviously you want to ask what’s the game plan? But I think we’re a bit more professional than that so it hasn’t been a problem in the past.
“I’ve probably got more skin in the game so I’ve got bragging rights. I want to win more than anyone. It is a fun part of it but it doesn’t affect anything else.”
The Wallaroos beat Samoa in their opening game in Salford over the weekend, but being in a tough pool with USA and England means there is little room for error in their next two games – something Cramer is all too aware of.
“It’s a World Cup. You’ve got to win every game, really,” the full-back said.
“This is a game that we’ve been tit-for-tat with the USA for the last couple of encounters so this is definitely a big game for us.”
USA, meanwhile, lost their opener against the Red Roses in Sunderland on Friday, which means they can ill afford to slip up against the Wallaroos. For her part, Jacoby is confident her side can get the job done.
“Australia is going to be our big game. Obviously the goal is to make it to a final, but our final is actually this weekend too,” the prop said.
“Stepping stones for sure, but Australia is the most important game that we’re going to play this tournament. They are physical, but so are we.
“I think that talking about the intensity, the fast pace, the physicality of the first match against England, if we can do all of those things again against Australia, and do it for a little bit longer, I have no doubt that we’ll be 15, 20 points ahead of them.”
Jacoby feels USA’s determination to succeed runs deep due to what could be achieved for women playing rugby in the United States in the future.
“I think there’s a little bit of pressure on this one, not only like internally, squad-wise, but externally,” Jacoby said.
“The amount of eyes that are on this tournament right now have increased so much since we’ve brought in Ilona [Maher], and we’ve had so many rugby personalities come up front now, so there’s a lot of people watching.
“As an individual, I want to do well. As a nation, we want to do well, but this is my last World Cup, and I am retiring after this.
“I’m not saying that any other nation doesn’t have that anger, but we are coming from a place that we were hardly supported before the last World Cup, we were paying for our own kit, and now we’re finally getting the support and resources that we deserve.”
Jacoby is not the only familiar face that Cramer will see on the opposition touchline this weekend. USA’s head coach Sione Fukofuka was previously assistant coach with the Wallaroos.
“Sione has known a lot of us since we were kids and growing up. He’s coached a lot of us, most of us, to be honest. But I think we’ve developed a lot as rugby players since then.
“That’s the beauty of rugby. You can try and shut down a few people that you think you know what they’re going to do, but that just opens it up for someone else. As a full squad, we’ve got a really polished kind of system going on.”
You can buy tickets to USA v Australia in York by clicking here.
