“My heart stopped for a moment”

Before she walked out onto the field at Millennium Stadium, Lucy was both excited and nervous, hoping she wouldn’t trip and embarrass herself. Afterwards she was all smiles – and relieved she didn’t drop the ball.

Though she’s been in the UK for two days and even attended the opening match at London’s famous Twickenham stadium the day before, Lucy still can’t believe she’s here.

“Looking around I’m still in shock that I’m over here,” she says. “And that today I’ll be delivering the game ball.”

DHL searched the globe to bring 48 children from 42 countries to the UK for one unforgettable experience – to deliver the match ball to a RWC 2015 game. Irish-Canadian Lucy Black from Frederick in New Brunswick won the honor of being DHL’s Match Ball Delivery Ambassador for the Ireland vs. Canada match on opening weekend of the Rugby World Cup.

“It was so amazing, thank you very much!”

Don’t trip!
“I’m both excited and nervous,” Lucy continues, then adds with a smile: I’m really hoping not to trip or anything because that would be very embarrassing. I don’t really need to do that.”

Considering the fact that millions of people around the world will be watching, that’s probably a good idea. But she knows what to expect. At the opener, she watched Manu from Fiji carry the ball out onto the field. 

“I was trying to get the fact that it will be me doing that today – I still can’t get over it. Him walking out of the tunnel and onto the field. Now I’m going to be doing the same thing,” she says, wide-eyed. “It’s just crazy.”

You wouldn’t know she was nervous if she hadn’t said it. This up-and-coming Canadian rugby player is smiling ear to ear, calming waiting to enter the stadium for a rehearsal a few hours before the match. Her dad has travelled with her, and she appears to be soaking it all in and enjoying the moment – an impression she confirms.

“I’m really just excited to share this experience with my dad and be here at the Rugby World Cup.”

“I’ll feel very proud for being here and representing Canada”

A win-win situation
So who does an Irish-Canadian root for in a big game like this one?     

“I’ll be definitely cheering for Canada tonight, but it wouldn’t be a disappointment if Ireland were to win. It’s pretty much a win-win situation,” she says.

“When I hear the Canadian national anthem playing before the game, I’ll feel very proud for being here and representing Canada”

Watch Lucy’s experience here on YouTube!

A star struck moment
After the game she made it clear that tripping had been the least of her worries. Instead, she was glad she didn’t drop the match ball.

“The ball was shaking in my hands,” she says.

That’s because the capacity crowd of over 74,000 went wild when Lucy led the Irish and Canadian national rugby teams out onto the field.

“I couldn’t really see the stands from the tunnel. When I walked out and turned around and saw that the whole side of the stadium was full, my heart stopped for a moment. Lights were flashing. It was amazing.”

A rising star
Lucy started playing rugby when she was about five, going to Saturday morning touch rugby games with her dad.

“That’s my first memory of rugby,” she says. 

What does she like about the sport?

“Well when I was younger we’d get to tackle all the boys,” she smiles. “Boys and girls play together. It’s also the adrenalin running down the field with the ball, with people trying to tackle you. I really like that.”

She has high hopes for her sport, which unfortunately still attracts very few girls, she says.

“In the future I hope that rugby in Canada grows to be even bigger. The last couple of years we’ve had more and more girls come out, and I hope to see an all-girls team. That would be really nice.”

Read more about Lucy and some of our other Match Ball Delivery Ambassadors.

Or relive their experiences on YouTube.