Springboks’ physiotherapist Rene Naylor. Images via Instagram @rene_naylor
Springboks’ physiotherapist Rene Naylor: ‘I didn’t expect special privileges as a woman’
Springboks’ physiotherapist Rene Naylor has been with the squad for 15 years… here’s what else you should know about her.
Springboks’ physiotherapist Rene Naylor. Images via Instagram @rene_naylor
Belhar-born Cape Town physiotherapist Rene Naylor reveals how she became the sports physiotherapist for the Springboks.
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RENE NAYLOR: PHYSIOTHERAPIST
KFM reports that Springboks physiotherapist Rene Naylor has practiced as a physiotherapist for more than 20 years and she’s worked almost exclusively with rugby players from amateur to elite levels.
She qualified with a BSC in Physiotherapy from the University of Western Cape, and an MPhil in Sports Physiotherapy from the University of Cape Town.
Naylor who also holds a postgraduate certificate in Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapy reveals in an interview with the radio station that she qualified at the same time as the Rugby World Cup in 1995… and that’s where that dream started.
“I took the position very seriously because I felt that I did have that responsibility to show and prove that we can do it, and that we will be good at it.”
“And I didn’t expect special privileges as a woman… I wanted to be respected as a professional. That the player would look at me and say: ‘You know what, if I go to her, she will fix me’.”
Naylor who made headlines this past week after Daily Mail reported that she’s been accused of passing messages from the coaching team and ‘dark arts’ on the pitch also revealed: “You do feel the obligation as a person of colour and as a woman to prove that this is merit.”
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JOINING THE SPRINGBOKS
The popular physiotherapist, Rene Naylor also revealed in an interview with GSport that she’s been with the Springboks since 2008 after working in rugby for almost a decade in club rugby and then provincial rugby at Western Province.
She adds that there are many challenges in her job: “I think that the serious injury challenges, for example, Jean De Villiers having his knee dislocation in November 2010 just before the World Cup was definitely a big challenge to get him back onto the pitch for the tournament.”
Naylor adds that joining the Springboks in 2008 was a high point in her career and it was the pinnacle for her besides winning the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
She didn’t expect it and was working really hard at provincial level, and very happy with her position there and getting the call-up was special.
To be part of the brand, to be part of something so big and important holds a special place for her.
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