Maddie Feaunati should have been on top of the world. A whirlwind rugby journey across two nations and two hemispheres had reached an early culmination when, at the age of 23, the back rower and the rest of her Red Roses teammates lifted the World Cup last September. Her rise had been as rapid as it had been remarkable – born in Leeds but raised in New Zealand, Feaunati had only taken up the sport seriously during the Covid pandemic and only committed to England at the start of 2024. Here, it seemed, was a youngster with rich rugby heritage and the confidence required to relish all that lay in front of her and lead a new era.
But something wasn’t right. “After the World Cup, I’m happy to say I got into therapy because I was so confused,” Feaunati explains, opening up a year later having finally – she thinks – processed the maelstrom of complex emotions. A comedown from the tournament after returning to Exeter was perhaps to be expected, but Feaunati did not necessarily feel sad or sorry. Just…well, confused. “What have I not dealt with?” She wondered, before deciding to do something about it.
