Asian Games Player Profile: Tabitha Fong

Photo by Lawrence Ang

Tabitha is the most senior player on the team and arguably one of the most fanatical. She left a career in auditing to gain more experience in the game in the UK and New Zealand and speaks a bit on her views on playing rugby.

Name: Tabitha Fong

Age: 34

Occupation: Finance Manager

Sport before rugby?
Badminton-Intermediate (before national level) squad and dragon boat-IVP games as well as Bukit Timah CSC

How and Why Rugby?
In 1999. The physical nature of the game- you have to think fast before you get hit by your opponents


How does rugby differ from your previous sport?
Dragon boat requires a lot of teamwork. Badminton has a lot to do with agility and skills. The game of Rugby is like "catching". If nobody catches you, you are "free" and it also requires all the components of Dragon boat and Badminton.

So why did you make the change to rugby?
Rugby is a more well-rounded sport. You can still run and practice individual skills when there is no opponent, unlike the game of badminton. As for dragon boat, you need a minimum no. of participants before you can even row the boat out. I do not have this kind of issues when playing rugby. You can practice with a friend and play a game when there is a lot of people.


Do you agree when people say that rugby is a men's game?
Please! People also once said that the earth is square. I think a game is just that- A Game. There is no sexual limitation for games. If you like it, just play it. Life is already complicated enough, we do not need to complicate even the games we play


What did you find the hardest to adapt to, when you took on rugby?
Slip-disc injuries but fortunately, they have a "cure" for it. Concussions- because you really start forgetting things...or maybe I am just getting on in age.


Can you describe your first experience with rugby? 
As a player- I had butterflies in my stomach and I couldn't help smiling. Weird considering you have to be aggressive and "fierce" when you step on the field but I was just feeling exhilarated/high...

As a fan - Loyal fan of the Kiwis. I am caught screaming at the games on TV on numerous occasions.


The lowest moment of your rugby experience...
Was when I came back from overseas to find that Singapore women's rugby standard is in the ****...cos when I left, we were 3rd in Asia.



The proudest moment of your rugby career.
To be the top try scorer of the team that came in 2nd in 2004 Asian Games Womens Rugby Competition .


How much do you love rugby? If you had a choice to represent Singapore in another sport, what would it be?
Very much. Not easy to give up a good career like audit so that I have more time to learn the game. I went overseas to play with the best (New Zealand and England). This is how much I love the game. I would still play rugby.