From Rugby Fields to Television Screens: Darya Shestakova’s Unfiltered Take on Her New Chapter and Russia’s Rugby Future

Once a formidable force on the rugby pitch for CSKA and the Russian national team, Darya Shestakova is now navigating a different kind of arena: the media landscape. In a candid interview, the former player shared insights into her post-career life, the current state of women`s rugby in Russia, the global appeal of the sport, and a bold prediction for her national team`s potential return to the World Series. It appears she`s traded scrums for scripts, and tackles for teleprompters, with a refreshingly direct perspective on it all.

A New Chapter: From Athlete to Media Personality

Shestakova`s transition isn`t just a pivot; it`s a full-fledged leap into a new profession. “I`m currently an ambassador for RC CSKA and studying to be a TV presenter at Ostankino,” she explains, detailing her busy schedule of castings, selections, and involvement in various rugby events and sponsor interactions. The decision, she admits, came after much deliberation while still playing. “I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, `My God! I was just born to be on TV!`” she quips with a laugh, quickly adding, “But seriously, it always interested me. After trying it a few times, I decided to get proper training to have additional education in this field.”

The world of television, she notes, is a stark contrast to the structured life of a professional athlete. “It`s all about interacting with people, speech technique, how to work on camera, how these shows are actually recorded… My mind couldn`t grasp how it all worked,” she recounts. “When four cameras are filming you simultaneously, and you have to turn and say specific words at certain times, your brain starts working completely differently. Of course, I love it. It`s challenging, very unfamiliar, but incredibly interesting. A completely different world!”

The Pulse of Russian Women`s Rugby: A Critical Eye

Her deep understanding of the game hasn`t waned. Shestakova offers a sharp assessment of the Russian Women`s Rugby-7 Championship. “Many things are changing,” she observes, highlighting new and intriguing teams like “Argat” from Ust-Labinsk and “Zilant” from Kazan. However, she doesn`t shy away from critiquing established powerhouses. “In my opinion, Yenisei-STM needs to change something. Something has been happening with them for a few years, and they were always in the top three. We played them in finals!”

She also points to the struggles of “Krasny Yar,” once a formidable team. “Now Bayzat Khamidova has joined Krasny Yar; I hope she spends a season as an assistant coach and then becomes head coach. They need funding and, of course, new players,” Shestakova asserts. She emphasizes the critical role of experienced players, citing Navrat Khamidova and Anya Ermolaeva for Rostov-DSTU. “Their experience in Europe and the World Series adds the necessary depth, at least for these early seasons of the club`s existence.” For her, age isn`t a barrier but a badge of honor: “Age is a player`s experience and their work capacity. And it`s the level they`ve played at.”

The Professional Game: Can Rugby Sustain a Career?

The question of whether rugby can be a sole profession for female athletes in Russia elicits a nuanced response. “There must be motivation for players to come to training daily, to cope with the workload, especially when after that workload, you can`t do anything else,” she explains. “It`s impossible for Rugby-7 players in the Russian Championship to work concurrently. So, there must be motivation for players, including salary.” While not lavish, a professional living is now attainable for those in top teams. “If you play for top teams, in principle, you are a professional athlete who only does this. Even without playing for the national team, you can feel good. Well, normal, let`s say. You won`t be able to provide for a family of 10, but for one person, it`s quite normal, sufficient.” She notes the turning point: “When Rugby-7 was included in the Olympic program, the situation started to change for the better even in women`s rugby.”

The Global Stage: Atmosphere and American Enthusiasm

When asked about the best stadiums she`s played in, Shestakova`s choices reveal a preference for atmosphere over mere infrastructure. “Paris. First, the field was incredible. Second, it`s a rugby country. Dubai, naturally. Dubai is top. Sydney, too!” she recalls fondly. “It was really cool, actually. Because it`s also a rugby country. And a stadium can be anything, you know? But the number of spectators who come creates the atmosphere. When you play matches, and there are 40,000 people sitting there, what kind of atmosphere can it be? It`s exhilarating, impossible to put into words, and absolutely unforgettable! But when you walk out and there are `one and a half diggers` sitting there, it`s sad. No matter how magnificent the field, it won`t matter.”

She recounts her surprise at American rugby attendance, specifically the 2018 Rugby World Cup in San Francisco. “Have you ever seen how many people go to golf there?” she asks rhetorically. “I`ve seen how many people go to anything! That`s the trick – it`s like they have a cult. You have to go to everything happening in the city! Even San Francisco is a huge city. Top stadium, top location, top tournament. `Wow, a World Cup, amazing!`” She also noted massive crowds even in less-known locales like Glendale and Atlanta. “Maybe it`s something embedded in the American mentality?”

Cultivating Rugby`s Future in Russia

Recognizing the challenge of drawing new fans, Shestakova champions grassroots initiatives. “What Vasya Artemyev does with Tag-rugby – it works,” she states, referring to the non-contact version of the sport. “Essentially, it`s a business league, but these people start following the Russian Championship, the Premier League; they ask questions, they come. This is the beginning.” She believes more such leagues, especially school-level Tag-rugby, create a ripple effect. “Children get interested, their parents too. More and more people get drawn into rugby.”

She offers a charming anecdote to illustrate this point: “A few weeks ago, I gave an interview to `Govorit Moskva` radio. A few days later, I was in a taxi, chatting on the phone. I hung up, and the taxi driver delicately asked if I was an athlete, a rugby player, because he`d watched an interview, really liked it, and I looked like her. He thought I had a twin sister. It turned out he caught my interview, looked up when the games would be, and asked for an autograph. It was so pleasant! We often don`t think much of it when we`re invited somewhere, assuming only our own people will watch. But someone out there takes note and starts to get interested!”

A Champion`s Journey: Scars and Sisterhood

Shestakova`s journey into rugby began unexpectedly, shared with her twin sister, Arina. “We were sitting in the yard in Chelyabinsk on a bench, eating chips. It was 2014, before university, and I still needed to pass some exams…” she recalls. “Mom called and said, `Dasha, Arina, do you want to go to Moscow? Try yourselves in a sport like rugby?` We were playing amateur American football at the time. We were like, `What? What`s rugby?` But the trip to Moscow greatly enticed us.” They signed with RGUTIS-Podmoskovye after a trial week.

Playing alongside her sister was “normal, even cool.” However, playing against each other for rival clubs was a different story. “You already don`t want to injure anyone, and here you have to play against each other,” she reflects. “It was such a strange feeling: you have to play, but you don`t want to hit your sister.” She recounts a humorous exchange: “I remember she called me and said, `Dasha, okay, tomorrow, no foul play?` I said, `Of course, Arina, no foul play! Let`s make it fair!` And the very first moment – I catch the ball with my back to the defense. And someone just hits me so hard in the back. I tumble, turn around, look, and she says, `What? What else could I do – you took the ball!`” The irony of a “no foul play” pact instantly broken for the sake of competition.

The path to the national team also had its sibling rivalry. In December 2015, Arina made the main squad for the Dubai World Series, while Darya did not. “She made the main team right away. I was called for the camp in Dubai, but I didn`t make the team. It was disappointing,” she admits. “Of course, I was happy for my sister, but for myself, it was hurtful. I`d be lying if I said I was so happy that I didn`t make it and she did. No, of course, I was very upset for myself then, I remember. `Why is this happening? What am I doing worse?`” Yet, her determination quickly paid off: “Everything changed very quickly. I tried very hard, worked a lot, and by the Brazil World Series stage, I was on the team. So, I didn`t have to grieve for long.”

The Toll of the Game: Injuries and the Prospect of Return

The physical demands of rugby have left their mark, making a return to playing uncertain. “I`m currently planning to restore my health because I have a step limit that I use up every day. And after that limit, my legs hurt intensely,” Shestakova reveals. “I`m currently in the rehabilitation stage… If I can return, I will. If not, then, in principle, I don`t think it will be a secret to anyone – after such injuries, people rarely return.” Her injury list is extensive: “I have both shoulders operated on. My right and left. My right was operated on seven months before the Tokyo Olympics. It was an emergency recovery course. By the way, my shoulders don`t bother me at all now.” She also had elbow surgery (with an Ilizarov apparatus) before rugby. “But the really major operations are two shoulders and two Achilles.”

Despite these challenges, she`s not yet 30, an age where many rugby players, even mothers, are still competing. “While they can run, let them run. Why not? If a person feels they haven`t finished playing,” she says, referencing Alena Tiron`s successful return after childbirth. “If you want to, feel you can, and it works out – why not? It`s cool, actually.” However, she stresses the need for new talent and how veterans are crucial for their development, especially without international exposure. “Young talented girls are abundant, but with whom, without international tournaments, will they grow if not with our old veterans?”

The Road Ahead: Russia`s Rugby Future on the World Stage

Looking ahead, Shestakova ventures a bold prediction regarding the Russian women`s Rugby-7 team`s standing if they were suddenly allowed to compete internationally again. Having attended the Olympics in Paris live, she`s seen the global standard. “In my opinion, it will be very difficult, of course. Just look at the speeds and tempo of the game at the World Series in Los Angeles!” she exclaims. However, she offers a glimmer of immediate hope: “I think that at first, we would perform well. This euphoria from being sidelined for so long, everyone ready to play, everyone wanting to return so badly.”

She believes the experienced core of the team would carry them initially. “Most of the national team players are those girls who have played in World Series for a long time, and we`ve missed it terribly… So if we were suddenly brought back now – we would make it into the top eight, maybe even higher. On adrenaline, so to speak.” But the long-term view is more pragmatic: “After that, it would be very difficult. Old leaders are in place, dark horses like China are doing crazy things on the field, so it will be tough. It`s even hard to think about the top four now. We would have to start from scratch. Not completely, of course, we achieved a lot, but still, building everything from the beginning. It would definitely take a year of sweating it out at the bottom of the tournament table.”