“I didn’t think this was going to happen”
Maya Stewart’s journey to the World Cup has been nothing short of remarkable.
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The 22-year-old ended 2021 on crutches, having done her ACL for the second time in such a short career.
“I’ve done my other knee before so I know that sound pretty well,” Stewart told Rugby.com.au.
“I came off the field and said to Campbell (Aitken, Waratahs coach), ‘nup, my knee is gone’ and he was pushing me to go back. I went to then see the physio for scans and knew straight away.
“It’s pretty crazy, on the drive over to the Crown (Plaza Coogee, ahead of the opening ceremony) I was in the car with my boyfriend and his mum came home and said 'one of the first things you wanted to do was you wanted to play for the Wallaroos'.
“My boyfriend was also saying it’s pretty crazy nine months ago we were sitting in the lounge room and had the Wallaroos and Waratahs physio assessing your knee, going for scans.”
The injury derailed what was an incredible 2021 for the Waratahs flyer.
Stewart opened the shortened Super W campaign with a four-try haul as she blitz the Queensland Reds.
The flyer ended the tournament with seven tries and was a certainty to debut for the Wallaroos that year had it not been for COVID.
However, the setback left Stewart racing the clock for the delayed World Cup, right on the usual 9-month recovery time for an ACL injury.
“I think being in the squad prior helped a lot but I think having Kylie Baldwin (Wallaroos head Physio) who has in Queensland come down was amazing,” she revealed.
“If she wasn’t here, it’d be a different story.
“Definitely a difficult rehab, (just) trying to get in there and slowly but surely work on it. I’m super lucky that the Wallaroos took me away to camp early to give me time with her to work on my rehab.
“I had to learn to walk again, then run and step, obviously did my return to contact a few weeks ago in Queensland, we played a little in-house game was good.”
Stewart concedes the injury put her in a ‘tricky’ position, needing to impress new coach Jay Tregonning without having played a game at state or international level since he has taken over.
In the end, her electric past form was enough to be included, Tregonning showing faith by selecting her whilst still recovering for the O’Reilly Cup squad before this was parlayed into the World Cup
“I was in a tricky position because I was in the squad prior to Jay coming in so it was an awkward position being coached by someone who hasn’t seen you play yet,” she admits.
“I guess reviewing past games and performances, I was lucky.”
The delay may set Stewart up for a grand debut on the biggest stage there is.
A packed out Eden Park awaits the Wallaroos and the occasion was not lost on the Randwick junior knowing the efforts she’s had to go to just to be in the squad.
“It’ll be pretty surreal,” she reflects.
“I still can’t believe that I am here. I have family coming over (to New Zealand) and I know a lot of people will be watching back home.
“It’s a long time coming.”
