SHE'S putting the super into 'super mum', she's Sarah Archer and on Wednesday at Carrington Park she will run out for the New South Wales Police Rugby League City versus Country match.
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While it won't be the first time the Bathurst officer has played in a representative league match or worn NSW Country colours, the difference is that she is now a mother.
In May, just under five months after giving birth to her daughter Brooklyn, Archer lined up for the Country South Steelers at the NSW Police Cup in Tamworth.
Archer was happy enough to get the nod to play for the Steelers and while she hoped that would not be the beginning and the end of her police rugby league duties for 2023, she was realistic.
"I didn't play with the Steelers last year, I just went there to help out because I had 'an injury'. It was a bit early to them I was pregnant," Archer laughed.
"It was good to play this year, I really wanted to play, but I wasn't sure if I was going to be healed and fit enough and all that type of stuff. I didn't give myself a lot of time, I knew my fitness level was a bit how you going."
Though not at her peak fitness, Archer did not shirk any of the physicality as she lined up in the second row for the Steelers.
Playing her first games in a year, Archer made plenty of metres as she took tough carries and she whacked her rivals in defence as well.
She was pleased with her performance at the tournament given it marked her return, but Archer wasn't sure she'd done enough to impress the Country selectors.
"I thought coming back after having a baby five months earlier, I didn't think I would be at that level," she admitted.
"I thought I played well considering where I came from, but there are a lot of new teams now, a lot of new players. Because it has become more popular, there are more girls playing. They're younger, they're fitter, they're stronger, so you're fighting for a spot.
"[But] I felt as the country champs progressed I got better and better as well as being told 'Archer's back', so that built my confidence as well.
"I hoped that I did enough to be selected in the squad, but I knew with the sport becoming more popular the representatives spots are more competitive."
So how did Archer feel when she was given the nod?
"I was over the moon," she said.
Since the NSW Police Cup, Archer has seen game time playing for the Western Women's Rugby League representative outfit at the NSW Rugby League Country Championships.
But her representative resume extends beyond that.
In 2018 the Orange native lined up for the Group 10 representative league side.
At that stage there was no representative police rugby league available, so Archer instead joined fellow Bathurst officer Marita Shoulders in playing rugby union.
The duo were part of the inaugural Australian Police Rugby Union women's side.
"The only reason I got into union was, well one because of Rita [Marita] and then two, because I always wanted to play tackle. I'd seen people do it, I always wanted to be part of it, so as soon as that opportunity came up I jumped on it," Archer said.
"I grew up with my brother playing league at the time and following the NRL, like I go for the Dragons. So I grew up around league."
In 2020 Archer was selected in the inaugural Country Origin Women's Police Rugby League representative team, but the COVID-19 pandemic saw the showdown with City cancelled.
A year later Archer finally got to pull on the coveted maroon and yellow colours as NSW Country lock.
She was amongst the try scorers as Country posted an 8-6 win at Mudgee.
This year Archer will again get to play the representative match in the Central West, but it's much closer with Bathurst's Carrington Park to host.
She can't wait to showcase her super mum prowess in front of familiar faces.
"It's practically my home ground given I grew up in the Central West, I'll be able to have a lot of family and friends come and watch and be a part of it because they couldn't travel to Mudgee when I played over there," she said.
"I'll also have Brooklyn there this year to come and cheer me on.
"I was picked as a reserve and told that I'll probably play at second row or lock, and I also got told I might be in the starting side. So I don't know, I'll just wait until the day comes."
The women's NSW Police Rugby League City versus Country match will kick off at 10am on Wednesday, with the men's game to follow at 11.30am.
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