Larissa Lima hopes to spread rugby league to Brazil with World Cup appearance
LARISSA Lima hopes to get rugby league moving to a samba beat as Brazil's women make their World Cup debut – with a helping hand from Wales.
The South American nation may be football mad but the 13-a-side code is also making waves there.
And Larissa hopes to be one of the trailblazers to get the sport as engrained in the culture as the round ball.
But she revealed it would not have been possible had she not lived near Swansea when she was a kid.
Larissa, who will face England, Papua New Guinea and Canada in next year’s tournament, said: “When I was 11-years-old I moved to Wales, where I lived for a year and studied in Pontarddulais School.
“It was a really good experience and was the first time I had contact with the oval ball. I moved back to Portugal and decided I wanted to play rugby. I haven't stopped since then.”
Larissa’s story takes in countries around the world, having lived in Patos de Minas, Brazil, until she was nine before moving to Portugal and growing up there.
After living back in Brazil in an attempt to make her country’s Sevens side at the Olympics, she was back to Portugal, where she met partner Sam Henwood, who she now lives with in New Zealand.
It is there she stepped up her rugby interest, playing union for Counties Manukau, and discovered rugby league, which will help her achieve her dream.
Larissa added: “About four years ago I moved and rugby league is bigger compared to Europe.
“I always had team players that played both at the same time then I received information that Brazil was going to be part of the women's Rugby League World Cup from a friend, Jose Alpulim.
“He asked me if I was interested to start playing league in New Zealand to become part of the group that is preparing for the World Cup. I was really excited and started to play for Papakura Sea Eagles.
“Representing Brazil in the World Cup would be an honour and an unreal experience.
“It will feel like I'm representing my roots, my family and friends. Making them proud will be my motivation.
“And I hope participating in the World Cup will help to attract a market in Brazil and also in South America.”
Brazil taking on England may sound a mismatch of epic proportions but this is about more than what happens on the field.
It is about carving open a new market for rugby league in one of the hardest to conquer if it does not involve kicking a round ball.
But come game time, the aim will not be focusing on marketing.
Larissa said: “It's hard for any sport, especially a ‘new’ one, to become big and popular in Brazil because football takes massive attention from all the other sports.
“So the fact that we made into the World Cup is super important for the development of the sport in Brazil.
“But I’m not going to lie and say that we as a team, are not going there giving our all to win, because we are.
“Being realistic, though, we don't have the same experience as the other teams but we are going to show our best and so contributing to raising the sport’s profile in Brazil.”
