If you are a New Zealander living overseas, then chances are someone will ask you to fill in on their rugby team.
That is exactly how it panned out for 15-year-old Brigid Corson.
The year 11 Kavanagh College pupil has been attending Summit High in Breckenridge, Colorado for the past 10 months on a private exchange.
Her host mother suggested she might want to sign up for the rugby team and Brigid was persuaded, despite having played just one game of social rugby.
The Otago athletics representative has taken to the game like, well, a New Zealander to rugby, Brigid's mother, Glynis Corson, said.
"Brigid's initial reaction was I don't want to get hurt,'' Corson said.
"But when she got over there ... she thought she would give it a try.
"We can't believe what a great little player she has got to be.''
Brigid has been playing on the right wing for the Summit Lady Tigers, where she can make the most of her pace.
The teenager has made quite an impact.
She helped the school win the Utah 7s tournament in October and the Colorado State Championship in November. But the highlight was reaching the final of the national single school championships during the weekend.
The Lady Tigers beat the Pennsylvania champion State College 26-14 in the quarterfinal.
Brigid scored two tries in the game and also scored a runaway try in the semifinal against the Wisconsin champion, Catholic Memorial.
The Lady Tigers won 17-0 but came unstuck in the final against Ohio's St Joseph Academy.
They led 14-12 at the break but were kept scoreless during the second half and lost 29-14.
Brigid will return to Kavanagh College for the third term and is keen to continue playing rugby.
"She has obviously learned a lot about the game over there. And when they had the prizegiving last year after they won that championship, they made a quip about Brigid having to go all the way to the States to learn about rugby.''
