Working through Corona – with Sinead Peach
Women’s rugby league is still an amateur game meaning all players either work or study when away from the sport – even during a virus pandemic.
By Seb Sternik
During this Coronavirus outbreak, there are many Castleford players who are regarded as key workers and are currently helping to keep the country moving - or in some cases, even saving lives. Over the next few days and weeks we will bring you the stories of the players who are still part of the country's workforce, starting with Sinead Peach.
The Castleford Tigers and England player is presently working for her dad’s company which also happens to be her individual player sponsor, PlayFair Garage.
“I work in the reception at my dads’ garage,” said Peach. “He’s got two garages based in Hunslet and I work at the reception in both of them - I go between each one of them.”
Working in the automotive industry during this outbreak means precautions have to be taken and no precaution is more important for the England international than washing her hands.
She said: “There’s nothing we can really do apart from washing our hands after dealing with customers, the cash or keys. We also help the customers by picking their cars up from their houses and then dropping them back off so they don’t have to come out of the house.”
When asked whether contracting the virus is something that worries her, Peach answered: “It’s a scary thing because you’re obviously dealing with a lot of old customers, young customers – everybody comes in. It is scary but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do. People still have to drive their cars and dad still has to run his business.”
One problem facing millions across the country is the active prospect of being stuck in their homes for the majority of their day. Peach welcomes the fact she is able to get out of her home saying: “I’m actually glad I'm out working because I would be going insane if I was at home.
“I hate being housebound. I’d rather be out of the house and be able to do something active – it sets me up for the day.”
An issue that is prominent amongst rugby players is not necessarily fitness but the maintenance of core skills. The Castleford and England number nine admitted that she is looking after both aspects but misses training sessions with her teammates.
She said: “Dad will take me out and we’ll do some skills and what not. We’ve been watching all the old games on a night because we’re that bored. I’m missing it but you’ve got to stay prepared for when the season resumes. It was meant to be this past weekend. It’s hard to prepare yourself for when we start back up but we’ve just got to keep going forward, it’s like a second pre-season.”
It is unclear when the 2020 campaign will get underway however, we will continue to update fans via our social media channels when there is more information.
Castleford Tigers Women would like to give a big shoutout to all the main shirt sponsors: Hillside Childcare, GMB Union, Tracked Spider Solutions, Yorkshire Flight Simulator, Anthony Higgins Transport, Castle Commercial Cleaning Limited, B&J Goulding, Marra Falcons, Pizza Prima, SB Paving, D&M Family Butchers and the Wakefield Council.