4. Linde van der Velden
The second interview with a member of the Exeter Chiefs Allianz Premier 15 squad, features club captain Linde van der Velden.
Linde was the first overseas player to sign for the new club back in August last year; the Netherlands international captain and back-row forward joining the Chiefs from French side Stade Toulousain.
This was a first for me … the first time I’ve done one of these interviews with an athlete from overseas; and I must admit I did struggle with the realisation that Linde is more fluent in her second language than I am in my first!
Anyway, despite the challenges of bringing together from scratch a squad capable of competing with the country’s most-established clubs, and as well as the ongoing restrictions due to Covid, Exeter have already turned promising displays into two recent victories, a home success over Worcester and a bonus-point win away to DMP Durham Sharks. However, before discussing Exeter’s fine progress, I was interested in getting some background into Linde’s international career; in particular the possibility of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
“For us it’s quite difficult to qualify for the World Cup. We are not involved in the Six Nations, so it is always hard for us to get games against strong opposition. Basically, to qualify, the first thing we have to do is win the European Cup. The tournament is a bit different every year; normally it’s us, Spain and Russia, but sometimes countries like Belgium, Germany or Switzerland also take part.
“This year it’s just the three teams, us, Russia and Spain; and the winner of that competition plays against the Six Nations’ teams who have not automatically qualified. England, Wales and France were given automatic qualification because of their performance in the last World Cup; so one team will go through to the World Cup from Italy, Scotland, Ireland and the winner of the European Cup,. The team that finishes second in the European Cup will then go into play-offs for the final place.
“There’s still a chance that two European countries will go through, but it will be very difficult for the Netherlands. We started a new project with a new coach in September 2019; but if you look at Spain, they have been doing a project with the same staff and players for something like three or four years, so they are well-prepared for the World Cup. We are not yet at the level where we can compete against those countries; of course, we will do all that we can to try and qualify, but we know our chances are slim and our main focus is on the next World Cup.”
I had read that virtually the whole of the Dutch squad still played their club rugby in the Netherlands. Having the opportunity and ability to play a higher standard of rugby in another country would undoubtedly benefit the Dutch international game: how many players are currently playing abroad?
“At the moment there is just me and two other girls,” Linde confirmed. “One has a French mother and she is playing her second season in France, and there is another who has a 7s contract in Japan.
“I know there are more girls interested in playing abroad. A few of our girls spent a year in New Zealand and I think two of them are going back again; but we don’t have the money to fly players back from the other side of the world if we have a game or a camp; but if they are playing in England, France or Spain then it’s easier for us to do that. There are two girls who have played in England, for Saracens I think, about three years ago, and of course last year I played in France, so maybe the opportunities are there.
“I know there are girls in my squad that would definitely want to play in another country and improve their game, but it’s quite difficult because most of them are still studying, maybe they will get the chance in the future?”
I wondered if clubs in France and England for example are structured in such a way that players from developing nations would have a level at which they could perform and improve – essentially a second or third XV, or maybe age-group squads for the younger talent.
“I think there would normally be two teams in England, but the only league that is playing at the moment is the Premiership. At Exeter we have an apprenticeship or academy that is really good, but it is more for girls from the local area; I don’t think it would be available to foreign players. But we still have a squad of 40 girls and the idea is that even though we don’t have a second team this year, the girls who are not quite ready for the first team yet would train with us and then maybe play with a local club. The standard might be a below the Premiership, but it will still be higher level than club rugby in the Netherlands.
“It was similar in France. There would be an elite team and the second team, but unlike here at the Chiefs, they would train separately. Our girls get the chance to train with us and also together as a group, so they’re with players of the same level as well as practising with the elite squad; it a mixture that works really well and I think it gives the girls the chance to improve.
“In the Netherlands, we simply don’t have the numbers of players,” Linde continued, “but we do here and in France; and of course there’s more money invested in the game, and the international players in those countries are professional, so they can focus fully on their sport.
“I can see a change in the Netherlands, which is good; we’ve got academies and a national training centre, which had previously only been for the men. So the girls and women’s game is growing and I also think it’s good if girls can go overseas and experience the environment and the higher level of athletes. In the Netherlands, some clubs are really small; I think there’s only one that has enough players for two teams. I always played for my local club, and sometimes we would struggle to get 15 players at training, or for a game; and I’d be playing there whilst also representing the national team...
“So you could have a girl who had just decided the day before she wanted to play rugby being in the same side as an international, which is good on one level, but can also be really difficult if you want to become an elite athlete.”
This was a fascinating insight into the practical difficulties of developing a sport in a country far better known for its success in football and hockey, sports in which the respective Dutch women’s squads are ranked fourth and first in the world. How hard is it for rugby to be seen as a major sport in the Netherlands and attract the young players that are essential to growth and development?
“There was a big growth in the game after the 2014 World Cup, with a big increase in players coming to play rugby; but like you say sports like hockey and football, and also handball [the Netherlands are the reigning women’s world champions] are so big over here. Some clubs are linked with universities; they are in the main cities and tend to be big, but the club where I used to play was much smaller and with all the other sports, it can be difficult to get players.”
And sponsorship too, presumably?
“For local clubs it’s often family businesses, or people who know who want to invest,” Linde explained. “One of my best friends worked at the local pub, the Balu, where we would go after the game; and they would sponsor us because after we trained or after every game, we would always go there. It is so hard to find anyone to invest a lot of money because the sport is not that big at the moment.”
As I mentioned right at the start, Linde’s English is noticeably better than mine; but had she encountered any language difficulties during her time in Toulouse?
“I learned French in high school, so for about four years; and if I went on holiday with my parents, we would always go to France. When I moved there though, it was maybe seven years after I finished high school. I hadn’t spoken French in all that time, but I still expected it to be easier than it was. I hoped that the girls who were my age might speak a bit of English, but most of them didn’t; so that made things quite difficult. In France, I was living with a Canadian girl, who played for the team as well; she spoke French and English and helped me out a lot.
“I was worried about going to France without really knowing the language before I went, but I went to a French class, an hour two or three times a week. The classes were held in the stadium, because there were a lot of internationals in the men’s squad, and there was another English girl, Holly Myers, who used to play for Harlequins, who was playing for Stade [Toulousain] the year I was there. We had our class together and I talked to her a lot, which was good, but it is difficult when you can’t really communicate with most of the girls; and after a few months you get sick of discussing the weather, because that was the only thing I could talk about!
“I did enjoy my time at Toulouse though. The training was really good, and I also worked one day a week at an architect’s company. I was in the final year of my studies, so that was the last internship that I did; but they didn’t speak any English there either. I can speak English quite well [understatement], but certain words about work can be quite difficult in English, so in French… almost impossible!
“That was one of the reasons why I was looking into moving to England, because I can speak the language. It was difficult not having a social life in France, especially when you are already quite homesick, so I thought it would be better for me to develop myself in an environment where I can understand people!”
So how did the move to Exeter come about?
“When I was thinking about coming to England, Holly said there was this new project here in Exeter and she said if you can be part of that, it would be great; it’s an amazing place. So I e-mailed to Susie [Appleby, the Chiefs’ head coach] and I was asked to play a trial up in Newcastle, to show what I could do and see if I could get a contract.
“When I played the game, it went really well. I hadn’t played that much in France, there is a rule in the French competition that you are only allowed to play two foreign players in a game, and we had five foreign players in the squad. One of them was the captain who played in the same position as me, so it was difficult for me to get game time. On the field the players all speak in French, as do the referees; I just couldn’t communicate that well and of course communication on the field is so important in rugby.
“Then when I played the game in Newcastle, I found I was able to play as well as I had hoped. I had started to wonder if maybe I wasn’t good enough for the highest level, but after Newcastle I felt better about my game. I think I also realised that the language barrier in France really was a big thing, so in that sense when I was offered the chance to join Exeter, coming to England was an easy decision…
“I did have an offer from another French club, but although the contract was really good, I felt that I could develop myself more in England, as well as live in a good environment, which is really important. Even in Newcastle, there was positive feeling about Exeter and a connection with the staff and players that I met, so that’s why I decided to go with the Chiefs.”
Linde was the club’s first overseas signing, but Exeter subsequently signed players from as far afield as Spain, USA, Canada and Japan. I felt that having players from so many different nationalities coming together might make the transition to a new club in a new country that bit easier; but was that the case?
“I think it definitely helped that I wasn’t the only one from another country,” Linde nodded, “but I also think that what has helped is that this is a new project, a whole new team; so basically even if you are from England, it was still a completely different experience. I haven’t been involved in anything like this before, so it’s not only new, it’s really exciting. I think that Susie [Appleby] and Amy [Garnett, assistant coach] did a really fantastic job with the girls that they selected; everyone is on the same page and that’s why there is a strong connection between all of us.
Linde was given the honour of captaining the club in its historic first season; how did she feel about being asked?
“They asked me on a team-building weekend I think, and I didn’t see it coming. I was the first international to arrive here and it felt good to be asked and of course I was interested straightaway, but I wanted to think things through.
“Last season, I was wondering about playing at a lower level, or going back to the Netherlands to focus on my career instead of high athlete sport; but I made the decision to come to England, to focus on my rugby, and hope for more than the three games I had for the elite side in France last season. Things started really well, I felt really good, and then they asked me; but a part of me was still thinking about last year…
“On the other hand I am captain for my country, and I’ve been captain at my local club before as well; and I believe the job is about the character that you have as well as your ability. It was an honour to be asked and I so happy that they asked me.”
Linde had clearly made a positive impression with everyone at the Chiefs, but there were so many other aspects of Linde’s life that had changed with her moved to the south Devon coast. The arrival of Covid affected everybody’s “normal” life; but how has Linde been affected by the various restrictions on top of everything else?
“For me it hasn’t been a big change,” was perhaps not the reply I was expecting. “Back home, I would see friends on a weekend, but in France I didn’t have that much of a social life really; everything was focussed on sport. The only day off I would have was a Sunday, so normally I would go for a walk, go sightseeing, or go out for lunch so I do miss that; but mostly it’s the same. I’m still training, I work two days a week at PMR Architecture in Newton Abbot and that has really helped. The people I work with are really nice and have been so helpful and supportive, and make me feel at home, just like everyone at the Chiefs does.”
Being settled off the field must be a contributory factor in the progress that has been made on it; and I was keen to get a captain’s perspective on how the squad’s performances and results have improved.
“If you look at the last game we played against DMP [Durham Sharks], we had good momentum and were able to build a lot of phases and pressure; but in the first game against Gloucester, you could see that we didn’t really have that feel for each other on the field, and we were still learning the new structure. That structure is definitely coming now and we are getting a much better feel for each other, although that still needs to build more; but as a team we have grown so much, which is great to see.
“Hopefully we will continue to improve. I think as individual players we can show even more than we have been showing, but it also takes time to develop yourself to be the best you can be, and I must do all I can to help and support those players around me. We’ve started really playing to our strengths, but there’s still so much more we can show; but as I said these things take time and we’re playing against teams that have been together for years.
“What we don’t want to be is the team that will use that as an excuse if we lose. We’re all really competitive; we’re here because we deserve to be here, and we’re a team that will work to finish as high in the table as we can.”
It was a frank and honest assessment, from someone I’d quickly realised was not just a talented athlete, but a driven and hugely impressive young woman. Linde had mentioned the win away to the Sharks, but one week earlier, Exeter had recorded their first ever victory in the home fixture against Worcester; Linde’s previous answer suggested that every game offered an opportunity to improve and that the delight at the Chiefs’ historic win might be tempered with a “but”…
“It was of course an amazing feeling to win, but we still thought we could have performed better. For example we got the win but felt like we had opportunities to score the fourth try; but we said that needed to enjoy the moment, our first ever win. Then we got our first bonus point win at DMP and while a part of us was really happy, we made a lot of mistakes and could have scored so many more tries. We felt like we’d let ourselves down a little, but again it was our first bonus point win; it may not have been pretty, but a win is a win and it was important to enjoy the moment.”
Five “buts” … I ever-so-slightly underestimated!
As performances continue to improve, one of the next steps for Linde and her squad will be the opportunity to play in front of the Sandy Park faithful. How has it felt to be playing in front of essentially empty stands and terraces?
“It’s really strange to play, and get messages from Chiefs fans, but we haven’t had the chance to meet any of them yet! I can just imagine what it would be like if we played before or after the men and everyone was in the stadium; that’s going to be such an amazing environment and it’s crazy that we don’t know how it will actually feel. Hopefully it won’t be long before we can perform in front of a crowd, but at least we are still able to play.”
Having mentioned the Chief’s men’s team, is there much contact between the two squads and, firstly, has the success of their male counterparts been a boost, or does it bring added pressure?
“Maybe it puts a bit of pressure on the staff, but to be honest I don’t feel under any pressure. I took ten years for the men to become European champions and we’re just starting out.
“I’m not going to say we’ll achieve what they have, or achieve it quicker; we can only focus on what we are doing now. It’s great that we can look at the boys and see what they have done; they did an amazing job and of course we want to be successful, but it’s hard to compare the two teams.
“We do see the men’s squad at the ground from time to time, but really the two teams are kept completely separate. When they are on the pitch we’ll go into the gym and then come out onto the field when they go to the gym. There are different walking areas because of Covid; they have their bubble and we have ours and at the moment, we cannot mix with the men’s squad. Hopefully when things improve, we can all use the same facilities, have socials and get to know each other.
“With my previous clubs, it’s not common for the men and women to do things together, but I know the Chiefs are keen to promote the fact that we are all one club, which is important to us.”
By rights, I should have done more research and asked the final question in Dutch; but I hadn’t … so I didn’t: but what does the future hold for Linde van der Velden?
“Yes, the future is something I think about. I only signed for Exeter for one season, but I’m really enjoying my time here, both at the club but I’m also enjoying my job as well and it almost couldn’t be better than it is here. I feel like Premier 15s is the place to develop myself. I’m happy and hope I will have the chance to stay longer.
“My boyfriend lives in New Zealand, he plays rugby too, so we’re looking into the possibility that he might be able to come over here next year. Because of Covid, we haven’t seen each other in almost a year, so we really want next year to be different!”
I’m sure that’s a sentiment with which we all agree. For now though: Echt heel erg bedankt Linde, en veel success.
© Richard Kirby and Linde van der Velden 2020
Linde was the first overseas player to sign for the new club back in August last year; the Netherlands international captain and back-row forward joining the Chiefs from French side Stade Toulousain.
This was a first for me … the first time I’ve done one of these interviews with an athlete from overseas; and I must admit I did struggle with the realisation that Linde is more fluent in her second language than I am in my first!
Anyway, despite the challenges of bringing together from scratch a squad capable of competing with the country’s most-established clubs, and as well as the ongoing restrictions due to Covid, Exeter have already turned promising displays into two recent victories, a home success over Worcester and a bonus-point win away to DMP Durham Sharks. However, before discussing Exeter’s fine progress, I was interested in getting some background into Linde’s international career; in particular the possibility of qualifying for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand.
“For us it’s quite difficult to qualify for the World Cup. We are not involved in the Six Nations, so it is always hard for us to get games against strong opposition. Basically, to qualify, the first thing we have to do is win the European Cup. The tournament is a bit different every year; normally it’s us, Spain and Russia, but sometimes countries like Belgium, Germany or Switzerland also take part.
“This year it’s just the three teams, us, Russia and Spain; and the winner of that competition plays against the Six Nations’ teams who have not automatically qualified. England, Wales and France were given automatic qualification because of their performance in the last World Cup; so one team will go through to the World Cup from Italy, Scotland, Ireland and the winner of the European Cup,. The team that finishes second in the European Cup will then go into play-offs for the final place.
“There’s still a chance that two European countries will go through, but it will be very difficult for the Netherlands. We started a new project with a new coach in September 2019; but if you look at Spain, they have been doing a project with the same staff and players for something like three or four years, so they are well-prepared for the World Cup. We are not yet at the level where we can compete against those countries; of course, we will do all that we can to try and qualify, but we know our chances are slim and our main focus is on the next World Cup.”
I had read that virtually the whole of the Dutch squad still played their club rugby in the Netherlands. Having the opportunity and ability to play a higher standard of rugby in another country would undoubtedly benefit the Dutch international game: how many players are currently playing abroad?
“At the moment there is just me and two other girls,” Linde confirmed. “One has a French mother and she is playing her second season in France, and there is another who has a 7s contract in Japan.
“I know there are more girls interested in playing abroad. A few of our girls spent a year in New Zealand and I think two of them are going back again; but we don’t have the money to fly players back from the other side of the world if we have a game or a camp; but if they are playing in England, France or Spain then it’s easier for us to do that. There are two girls who have played in England, for Saracens I think, about three years ago, and of course last year I played in France, so maybe the opportunities are there.
“I know there are girls in my squad that would definitely want to play in another country and improve their game, but it’s quite difficult because most of them are still studying, maybe they will get the chance in the future?”
I wondered if clubs in France and England for example are structured in such a way that players from developing nations would have a level at which they could perform and improve – essentially a second or third XV, or maybe age-group squads for the younger talent.
“I think there would normally be two teams in England, but the only league that is playing at the moment is the Premiership. At Exeter we have an apprenticeship or academy that is really good, but it is more for girls from the local area; I don’t think it would be available to foreign players. But we still have a squad of 40 girls and the idea is that even though we don’t have a second team this year, the girls who are not quite ready for the first team yet would train with us and then maybe play with a local club. The standard might be a below the Premiership, but it will still be higher level than club rugby in the Netherlands.
“It was similar in France. There would be an elite team and the second team, but unlike here at the Chiefs, they would train separately. Our girls get the chance to train with us and also together as a group, so they’re with players of the same level as well as practising with the elite squad; it a mixture that works really well and I think it gives the girls the chance to improve.
“In the Netherlands, we simply don’t have the numbers of players,” Linde continued, “but we do here and in France; and of course there’s more money invested in the game, and the international players in those countries are professional, so they can focus fully on their sport.
“I can see a change in the Netherlands, which is good; we’ve got academies and a national training centre, which had previously only been for the men. So the girls and women’s game is growing and I also think it’s good if girls can go overseas and experience the environment and the higher level of athletes. In the Netherlands, some clubs are really small; I think there’s only one that has enough players for two teams. I always played for my local club, and sometimes we would struggle to get 15 players at training, or for a game; and I’d be playing there whilst also representing the national team...
“So you could have a girl who had just decided the day before she wanted to play rugby being in the same side as an international, which is good on one level, but can also be really difficult if you want to become an elite athlete.”
This was a fascinating insight into the practical difficulties of developing a sport in a country far better known for its success in football and hockey, sports in which the respective Dutch women’s squads are ranked fourth and first in the world. How hard is it for rugby to be seen as a major sport in the Netherlands and attract the young players that are essential to growth and development?
“There was a big growth in the game after the 2014 World Cup, with a big increase in players coming to play rugby; but like you say sports like hockey and football, and also handball [the Netherlands are the reigning women’s world champions] are so big over here. Some clubs are linked with universities; they are in the main cities and tend to be big, but the club where I used to play was much smaller and with all the other sports, it can be difficult to get players.”
And sponsorship too, presumably?
“For local clubs it’s often family businesses, or people who know who want to invest,” Linde explained. “One of my best friends worked at the local pub, the Balu, where we would go after the game; and they would sponsor us because after we trained or after every game, we would always go there. It is so hard to find anyone to invest a lot of money because the sport is not that big at the moment.”
As I mentioned right at the start, Linde’s English is noticeably better than mine; but had she encountered any language difficulties during her time in Toulouse?
“I learned French in high school, so for about four years; and if I went on holiday with my parents, we would always go to France. When I moved there though, it was maybe seven years after I finished high school. I hadn’t spoken French in all that time, but I still expected it to be easier than it was. I hoped that the girls who were my age might speak a bit of English, but most of them didn’t; so that made things quite difficult. In France, I was living with a Canadian girl, who played for the team as well; she spoke French and English and helped me out a lot.
“I was worried about going to France without really knowing the language before I went, but I went to a French class, an hour two or three times a week. The classes were held in the stadium, because there were a lot of internationals in the men’s squad, and there was another English girl, Holly Myers, who used to play for Harlequins, who was playing for Stade [Toulousain] the year I was there. We had our class together and I talked to her a lot, which was good, but it is difficult when you can’t really communicate with most of the girls; and after a few months you get sick of discussing the weather, because that was the only thing I could talk about!
“I did enjoy my time at Toulouse though. The training was really good, and I also worked one day a week at an architect’s company. I was in the final year of my studies, so that was the last internship that I did; but they didn’t speak any English there either. I can speak English quite well [understatement], but certain words about work can be quite difficult in English, so in French… almost impossible!
“That was one of the reasons why I was looking into moving to England, because I can speak the language. It was difficult not having a social life in France, especially when you are already quite homesick, so I thought it would be better for me to develop myself in an environment where I can understand people!”
So how did the move to Exeter come about?
“When I was thinking about coming to England, Holly said there was this new project here in Exeter and she said if you can be part of that, it would be great; it’s an amazing place. So I e-mailed to Susie [Appleby, the Chiefs’ head coach] and I was asked to play a trial up in Newcastle, to show what I could do and see if I could get a contract.
“When I played the game, it went really well. I hadn’t played that much in France, there is a rule in the French competition that you are only allowed to play two foreign players in a game, and we had five foreign players in the squad. One of them was the captain who played in the same position as me, so it was difficult for me to get game time. On the field the players all speak in French, as do the referees; I just couldn’t communicate that well and of course communication on the field is so important in rugby.
“Then when I played the game in Newcastle, I found I was able to play as well as I had hoped. I had started to wonder if maybe I wasn’t good enough for the highest level, but after Newcastle I felt better about my game. I think I also realised that the language barrier in France really was a big thing, so in that sense when I was offered the chance to join Exeter, coming to England was an easy decision…
“I did have an offer from another French club, but although the contract was really good, I felt that I could develop myself more in England, as well as live in a good environment, which is really important. Even in Newcastle, there was positive feeling about Exeter and a connection with the staff and players that I met, so that’s why I decided to go with the Chiefs.”
Linde was the club’s first overseas signing, but Exeter subsequently signed players from as far afield as Spain, USA, Canada and Japan. I felt that having players from so many different nationalities coming together might make the transition to a new club in a new country that bit easier; but was that the case?
“I think it definitely helped that I wasn’t the only one from another country,” Linde nodded, “but I also think that what has helped is that this is a new project, a whole new team; so basically even if you are from England, it was still a completely different experience. I haven’t been involved in anything like this before, so it’s not only new, it’s really exciting. I think that Susie [Appleby] and Amy [Garnett, assistant coach] did a really fantastic job with the girls that they selected; everyone is on the same page and that’s why there is a strong connection between all of us.
Linde was given the honour of captaining the club in its historic first season; how did she feel about being asked?
“They asked me on a team-building weekend I think, and I didn’t see it coming. I was the first international to arrive here and it felt good to be asked and of course I was interested straightaway, but I wanted to think things through.
“Last season, I was wondering about playing at a lower level, or going back to the Netherlands to focus on my career instead of high athlete sport; but I made the decision to come to England, to focus on my rugby, and hope for more than the three games I had for the elite side in France last season. Things started really well, I felt really good, and then they asked me; but a part of me was still thinking about last year…
“On the other hand I am captain for my country, and I’ve been captain at my local club before as well; and I believe the job is about the character that you have as well as your ability. It was an honour to be asked and I so happy that they asked me.”
Linde had clearly made a positive impression with everyone at the Chiefs, but there were so many other aspects of Linde’s life that had changed with her moved to the south Devon coast. The arrival of Covid affected everybody’s “normal” life; but how has Linde been affected by the various restrictions on top of everything else?
“For me it hasn’t been a big change,” was perhaps not the reply I was expecting. “Back home, I would see friends on a weekend, but in France I didn’t have that much of a social life really; everything was focussed on sport. The only day off I would have was a Sunday, so normally I would go for a walk, go sightseeing, or go out for lunch so I do miss that; but mostly it’s the same. I’m still training, I work two days a week at PMR Architecture in Newton Abbot and that has really helped. The people I work with are really nice and have been so helpful and supportive, and make me feel at home, just like everyone at the Chiefs does.”
Being settled off the field must be a contributory factor in the progress that has been made on it; and I was keen to get a captain’s perspective on how the squad’s performances and results have improved.
“If you look at the last game we played against DMP [Durham Sharks], we had good momentum and were able to build a lot of phases and pressure; but in the first game against Gloucester, you could see that we didn’t really have that feel for each other on the field, and we were still learning the new structure. That structure is definitely coming now and we are getting a much better feel for each other, although that still needs to build more; but as a team we have grown so much, which is great to see.
“Hopefully we will continue to improve. I think as individual players we can show even more than we have been showing, but it also takes time to develop yourself to be the best you can be, and I must do all I can to help and support those players around me. We’ve started really playing to our strengths, but there’s still so much more we can show; but as I said these things take time and we’re playing against teams that have been together for years.
“What we don’t want to be is the team that will use that as an excuse if we lose. We’re all really competitive; we’re here because we deserve to be here, and we’re a team that will work to finish as high in the table as we can.”
It was a frank and honest assessment, from someone I’d quickly realised was not just a talented athlete, but a driven and hugely impressive young woman. Linde had mentioned the win away to the Sharks, but one week earlier, Exeter had recorded their first ever victory in the home fixture against Worcester; Linde’s previous answer suggested that every game offered an opportunity to improve and that the delight at the Chiefs’ historic win might be tempered with a “but”…
“It was of course an amazing feeling to win, but we still thought we could have performed better. For example we got the win but felt like we had opportunities to score the fourth try; but we said that needed to enjoy the moment, our first ever win. Then we got our first bonus point win at DMP and while a part of us was really happy, we made a lot of mistakes and could have scored so many more tries. We felt like we’d let ourselves down a little, but again it was our first bonus point win; it may not have been pretty, but a win is a win and it was important to enjoy the moment.”
Five “buts” … I ever-so-slightly underestimated!
As performances continue to improve, one of the next steps for Linde and her squad will be the opportunity to play in front of the Sandy Park faithful. How has it felt to be playing in front of essentially empty stands and terraces?
“It’s really strange to play, and get messages from Chiefs fans, but we haven’t had the chance to meet any of them yet! I can just imagine what it would be like if we played before or after the men and everyone was in the stadium; that’s going to be such an amazing environment and it’s crazy that we don’t know how it will actually feel. Hopefully it won’t be long before we can perform in front of a crowd, but at least we are still able to play.”
Having mentioned the Chief’s men’s team, is there much contact between the two squads and, firstly, has the success of their male counterparts been a boost, or does it bring added pressure?
“Maybe it puts a bit of pressure on the staff, but to be honest I don’t feel under any pressure. I took ten years for the men to become European champions and we’re just starting out.
“I’m not going to say we’ll achieve what they have, or achieve it quicker; we can only focus on what we are doing now. It’s great that we can look at the boys and see what they have done; they did an amazing job and of course we want to be successful, but it’s hard to compare the two teams.
“We do see the men’s squad at the ground from time to time, but really the two teams are kept completely separate. When they are on the pitch we’ll go into the gym and then come out onto the field when they go to the gym. There are different walking areas because of Covid; they have their bubble and we have ours and at the moment, we cannot mix with the men’s squad. Hopefully when things improve, we can all use the same facilities, have socials and get to know each other.
“With my previous clubs, it’s not common for the men and women to do things together, but I know the Chiefs are keen to promote the fact that we are all one club, which is important to us.”
By rights, I should have done more research and asked the final question in Dutch; but I hadn’t … so I didn’t: but what does the future hold for Linde van der Velden?
“Yes, the future is something I think about. I only signed for Exeter for one season, but I’m really enjoying my time here, both at the club but I’m also enjoying my job as well and it almost couldn’t be better than it is here. I feel like Premier 15s is the place to develop myself. I’m happy and hope I will have the chance to stay longer.
“My boyfriend lives in New Zealand, he plays rugby too, so we’re looking into the possibility that he might be able to come over here next year. Because of Covid, we haven’t seen each other in almost a year, so we really want next year to be different!”
I’m sure that’s a sentiment with which we all agree. For now though: Echt heel erg bedankt Linde, en veel success.
© Richard Kirby and Linde van der Velden 2020