Paige Schouw is already fully immersed in rugby league, having represented Netherlands in World Cup qualifiers as well as working as a reporter for NRL.com, but she has other ambitions in the game too.
PAIGE SCHOUW is determined to establish a career in rugby league one way or another.
It may result in her realising a dream to be a professional player or equally it could be fulfilling a desire to become a media commentator calling the game.
Chances are she could achieve both after the marketing and communications student was awarded the ‘Player of the Match’ in her debut for the Netherlands against Italy in a recent World Cup qualifying game.
The 26-year-old outside back qualifies for the Netherlands through her paternal grandfather who was born and raised in Haarlem. When she is not studying or playing the game, Schouw works as a reporter crafting stories for the NRL’s website NRL.com.
Speaking to Rugby League World from the Greek island of Santorini, where she is enjoying some rest and recuperation before heading home after the Netherlands narrow 16-12 loss to Ireland in Dublin, Schouw shares her ultimate rugby league goal.
“I want to be an NRL commentator. That’s my end goal. I want to be the next Ray Warren but the female version of course,” she laughs.
In the meantime she is lapping up the unique experiences that come through playing international rugby league although it has a financial cost.
“I saw that the Netherlands were putting together a team so I reached out to the NRLB (Netherlands Federation) saying that I definitely have Dutch heritage and how can I go about checking my eligibility and coming over and playing. After some discussions and paperwork I pretty much got the green light in March and then two weeks later I flew over.
Schouw arrived in Amsterdam prior to the teams preliminary World Cup qualifying match against Italy which resulted in a resounding 56-6 victory, staying on in Europe for the second match against Ireland.
Four Australian heritage players were added to the squad of domestic ladies who have come from Netherlands rugby union. It’s a formidable quartet with Claire and Jessica Kennedy being rising stars at the Wests Tigers club in Sydney while fullback and sister Nicole Kennedy plays with the London Broncos.
“Everything is self funded for us,” Schouw explained.
“It’s been quite an expensive experience. That’s one of the reasons why I decided I couldn’t stay for our the game against Wales. Being here for another five weeks would have just been too much.
“I was lucky I was able to stay with the NRLB President for two weeks and then moved in with one of the players.
Netherlands co-coach Brett Davidson, who hails from Canberra, is living in Dodrecht while he works on development of the women’s team and coaches the Amsterdam Cobras men’s side. He says the main asset the Aussie contingent bring is communication on and off the field.
“We have a group of very talented players from rugby union but there wasn’t a lot of talk amongst the girls so the Australian contingent have been able to bring that.
“Paige has a very good knowledge of rugby league for someone who has only been playing the game for a few years.”
“Brett is pretty specific with the game plan he likes to play,” Schouw added.
“He doesn’t like to play the NRL or NRLW style so for us the mentoring with the domestic girls was more around the rules of rugby league with little questions here and there.
“It was definitely a tough game against Ireland but we knew it was going to be tough. Losing our halfback in the first 15 minutes took a big toll on us so we had to shuffle positions and it was a bit confusing out there for a while. I think everyone pulled it together to make it a nice close game in the end.”
Schouw didn’t play in the Queensland state competition (BMD Premiership) this year after representing the Brisbane Tigers in 2023 due to her international commitments however she has plans to return to playing at a high level in Australia.
“I think everyone has that NRLW ambition. I’d love to play in the BMD Premiership again next season and now that the NSW state competition (Harvey Norman Premiership) doesn’t overlap with Queensland, I’d love to go and play in Sydney as well if I don’t get an NRLW contract.”
Had the Netherlands come second in their World Cup qualifier group, they would have faced an October play-off game against Greece, who finished second in other group behind France.
But a 48-6 defeat saw them eliminated in the aim to play in the world series, so while there may not be any further games for Schouw and the Nethlands to prepare for this year, she remains hopeful of running out for the side once again in the future.
“If, down the track, we have a sponsor that can help pay I would love to play for the Netherlands again but it pretty much comes down to funding.”
On the back of the Dutch team’s rapid rise on the international scene the NRLB will look to establish a domestic women’s competition to operate alongside the men’s championship which was first played under the NRLB in 2015 as a joint competition with Belgium.
“The plan is to have four clubs next year for the domestic women’s championship. That’s definitely in the works. It comes down to whether the competition is going to run after the rugby union season or how that’s going to work because the two codes share players at the moment and it’s about making sure that no one is stepping on the other’s toes.”
Netherlands Rugby League recently announced that Hull KR and York Knights will play a match Amsterdam deemed the Amsterdam Challenge on January 25 2025. Hull KR’s visit to the Dutch capital will continue the work the club has done previously in the community and schools to expand the sport.
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 498 (July 2024)
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