Love (23), a postgraduate student in strength and physiology at the Otago Polytechnic, is in her fourth year with the Otago women's team.
Her powerful display against Taranaki last Saturday typified the rapid progress she has made in the past two years.
''I've committed myself to getting fitter and developing my skills,'' she said.
''It has also helped having Marty Gray as our coach.''
Getting specialist scrum coaching from former All Black Kees Meeuws has turned the Otago Spirit scrum into a formidable unit.
''Kees has all the skills and the little techniques that help,'' Love said. The Otago scrum was dominant and pushed Taranaki backwards last Saturday.
''After three weeks together we started to get cohesion in the scrum. It always feels good to run over people like that.
''But the real test will come this weekend against Auckland. They are always dominant up front. But hopefully our performance last week will have them shaking in their boots.''
There has been a change in the attitude of the Otago forwards this year.
''Kees and Marty have told us that everyone has got to get stuck into the scrum and the back five are putting a huge amount of effort in. It helped to push the front row forward.''
Love is a solid prop and developed powerful muscles in her 97kg frame during pre-season work in the gymnasium.
''One of my big goals this year is to be fitter around the field and increase my work rate. I am doing more cardio work now,'' she said.
''I am doing three or four cardio sessions a week and one strength session in the gym.''
Love has developed her ability with the pick and go and drive this year and must be in contention for the Black Ferns.
''I'm quite a bit fitter than I was last year, so it means I'm able to get to the spot to carry the ball forward.''
Making the Black Ferns is her long-term goal but her focus at the moment is to have a successful campaign with Otago Spirit.
There is a belief in the Otago team that it can beat Auckland when it travels north for today's game.
''We will need to play more as a team than we did last week,'' Love said.
''But if everyone lifts their performance, I think we can do it.''
A big influence on her rugby career has been her father, Wayne Love, who coached Nelson Bays for two years, including when it won the second division banner in 2004 by beating Hawkes Bay 19-14 in the final.
He came to Dunedin for the Waikato game and watched the Taranaki game on television.
''I ask Dad what he thinks. I trust his opinion more than other people,'' Pip Love said.
''He told me I need to work harder to get closer in at the rucks and on defence.''
Love started playing rugby seven years ago when she was a pupil at Nelson College for Girls. She played a year for Tasman before beginning her physical education studies at the University of Otago five years ago.
Pip Love: At a glance
Age: 23.
Home town: Nelson.
Education: Nelson College for Girls, University of Otago, Otago Polytechnic.
Position: Prop.
Record: Tasman 2008, Otago Spirit 2010-13.
Teams
Otago Spirit: Anika Tiplady, Michaela Baker, Lucy Anderson, Greer Muir, Arna McLeod, Sheree Hume, Rebecca Todd, Angie Sisifa (captain), Leyhana Van Vugt, Rachel Scott, Michaela Smith, Syreeta Norris, Gemma Tuhega, Lucy Emery, Pip Love. Reserves: Molly Wright. Maddi Finch, Deirdre Roberts, Megan Manson, Olivia Waldron, Courtney Martin, Paige Church.
Auckland: Marina Apfel, Mele Hufanga, Claire Richardson, Chanel Wright, Onjeurlina, Emma Jensen, Kiritapu Demant, Justine Lavea, Lydia Crossman, Leanne Thompson, Charlene Halapua, Eloise Blackwell, Aleisha Nelson, Karina Stowers, Leilani Perese. Reserves: Doris Taufateau, Aldora Itunu, Fiaoo Faamausili, Vita Dryden, Charlotte Scanlan, Nicole Borthwick, Johana Sua.
