P R O F I L E S

on rugby, life & women

Name : Tan Hui Juan

Y.O.R.B (year of rugger birth) : 1996

Rucking with Blacks since : 2000

With a penchant for all things cute and fluffy being the only telltale sign of her true age. Meet Hui Juan; Blacks once-youngest player (and possibly still so), and guai lan extraordinaire.

It doesn't seem like it was too long ago, when she joined Blacks as a 12-year-old fresh out of primary school, and made history during her first rugby tour (Destination: Perth) in 2001 as the youngest player to ever tour with the club, where she discovered the evils of chocolate liquor amongst other things.

Although she does a mean act of juggling the multiple roles of rugger, student, daughter, and one half of a karaoke-mad duo, this outgoing, but surprisingly domestically-inclined girl occasionally sets these personas aside to take on that of Mrs Fieldss and an aspiring Konnyaku artist.

More below on her beliefs, thoughts, and other ponderings...

How did you chance on the fine game of rugby?

I started with Singa Rugby in Primary 4 in 1997, while I was at Chong Boon Primary. My school introduced it as a Co-curricular Activity (CCA). I was chosen to play by my teachers to play for the school - Actually I think it was pure chance that I took it up as I was among the last to be selected.

My first impression of rugby...very weird (oval shaped ball), and that we had to pass backwards.

We had to play against older players (primary 5-6 players) when we first went for competition. The first year was more for experience and exposure. However, we were the champs for 1998 and 1999 - yeah! Haha (",) But nowadays, primary schools don't play Singa Rugby anymore.

I joined Blacks when my ex-coach Carmel Seeto, who was a former Blacks player, brought my friends and I for Blacks recruitment in 2000…that was my first experience and encounter with contact and touch, which were totally new things to me. Although my basics were there, i.e. hands. etc., the rules were totally different and I had to start from scratch.

Actually, i wanted to leave at one point in time. Because the environment was new, I was youngest in the club, and since my friends who came for the recruitment left, I was unfamiliar with everyone...Travelling from where I lived was also a problem, because it was tiring.

"Besides rugby, I was also involved in my school's Chinese dance club. I also took up ballet in community centres for 2 years. I have a grade 3 and 4 certificate from the Royal Academy for that. I quite flexible leh, don't play play"

Whether dance has helped me with rugby...well, there are usually practices and rehearsals before the performance. As for rugby- you have to go through the moves, scrums and line-outs etc. Practice makes perfect in both.

"However, in rugby, we play it there and then. In a sense that we can't predict what will happen exactly in a game, situations simply happen and you gotta react to it accordingly. There's no replay. Unlike dance where there's a specific step and rhythm you have to follow. Besides, rugby is very addictive, you can never get enough it. It's not so much of individual flare, but about teamwork, playing smart and thinking on your feet."

If your had your way would rugby balls be pink?

PINK?? Did I hear wrongly?? I have to make this clear, pink is not my favourite colour. A lot of you are mistaken. It's wrong! It's a myth! It's not!

I don't know how it started la - all this association with pink. I now try to avoid pink stuff. I'm okay with every colour, as long as the item looks good. It's really bo pian, not that I purposely chose pink. It's really coincidence.

People have described you as an 18 year old girl with the mind of one much older, who is wise in the ways of the world, and incredibly street-smart. All of which are amazing qualities for someone your age.

How old do you feel?

I am old... yes and no. Since joining Blacks, my life has changed tremendously, and I've learnt many things along the way. Like a pivot point...

Yes in that I've been exposed to ..."elderly" people. HAHA! I think like someone slightly older than me. The environment has forced me to grow up, and I've learnt how to communicate with them. Must have a common topic to talk about what, besides rugby.

Responsibility - Blacks isn't like a CCA where you are required to satisfy attendance requirements. You have to learn to commit and no one's going to force you down for training. I used to feel obliged to play and perform, but every since my ankle injury, it's not just about going down every Sunday anymore. I realized that I love the game and have the passion for it. I never used to have goals, but now I do.

Leadership, independence and initiative - In a club, everyone's involved. We can't just rely on a captain or a coach to get things moving and done. Everyone has to play a part. Simple things like leading the warmup and getting water, it's simply initiative.

"Nobody can afford to spoonfeed you here. You've got to learn to speak up for yourself. If you need help, you have to ask for it. Although the seniors are willing to teach and help you, you can't always rely on them to notice your weak points. Whatever you want to know, you have to ask. It takes two hands to clap."

All this has helped me in life too, because now that I'm in polytechnic, there's a need to be independent.

"Blacks has definitely forced me to grow up faster, and I've learnt things that cannot be found in text books. I can proudly say that my teenage years have been meaningful. I do think about what I would be doing now if I didn't play rugby. Maybe hanging around with my friends in orchard road every Sunday?? I still do some typical teenage things, like watching movies, going to arcades, but not as often as my friends. Because I have commitments, training and such, I need to prioritise more."

But then I can be quite kiddish at times... I have a fetish for "Cutesy" stuff hahaha!

In fact, the seniors are like big sisters to me la. I've had a lot of first times with the club. First tour to Perth , first time in a pub and drinking, first time I've seen so many people squashed into a chalet during the boot camp muahahaha. And many many more...

I used to be a very quiet person, fyi, I never used to speak up or talk much. It was this environment that has helped to mould my character.

Tell us about the upcoming Great Zouk Inauguration. A Lian institution?

It's an agreement made with EUNICE TAY! The lian bu (",) She promised to take me there when I turn 18. That was 4 years ago, and she still remembers! Good memory hahaa. It's four months away, and I'm looking forward to it!

You are seen quite often before training, slathering yourself generously with SPF 100 sun-block. Would you say that there are conflicting issues between your quests for two extremities i.e. fairer skin and rugby enlightenment?

UVA is responsible for premature ageing and the development of skin cancer

UVB is the primary cause of burning and blistering

UVC is the most dangerous to our skin but is filtered by the ozone layer and does not reach the earth's surface

This is from a magazine. They were promoting sunblock products. Right now I'm using with UVA protection. It's much more better. See, it's responsible for premature aging. Don't wanna look like 30 when I reach 20? Actually, at most I use 50-plus ones. Now I'm using SPF 40 with UVA and UVB, double protection! It's not that I'm vain, it's necessary! They always say that I'm vain… dunno why leh.

Oh, and I used to use hazeline snow! I brought it to perth muahahaha. It's very cooling if you keep it in the fridge and apply it on your face. Btw I don't use it now, I stopped 3 years ago.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

My shorts slit a few inches during game… luckily got wear tights. Jane said that maybe my backside grew bigger la, haha.

An unnamed source tells us that you're the only person bold enough to tell Chongfu off when he misses his man on field. How dare you?

Why ah? Why am I so bold. Chongfu. I think it was because he missed his man. I don't remember why. Because I was just beside him, and I was his teammate. Are you sure I'm the only person? Are you saying that Chongfu cannot be scolded? I want to ask, why don't people scold him? Maybe it's because he can't be bothered to run after the person. Haha…

We often hear of young athletes who burn out early in their careers, more often then not, due to pressure and over-exertion. Do you face such problems? What has kept you going all these years?

Having to handle studies, rugby and other commitments can be hard at times. Especially when the exam and tournament periods clash.

"Sometimes it's hard, because when I tell myself that I have to study, I always end up going for training. Maybe it's because I feel bad about missing training, because it's a team game afterall, and my not going down might affect our team's moves and calls."

It's also sort of like my motivation, to finish a number of chapters before I allow myself to go for trainings.

These young athletes. If you really love and have the passion for something, you won't get sick of the sport. Find something to renew your passion every now and then. Set goals and decide on how to make things different. It's up to you to make things exciting.

"I also have problems with fitness drills, where you have to run… and I don't like running. And sometimes the seniors say things like "you're young, you should be faster!" It's not true. I have my own difficulties too. But it's up to you to handle the pressure, there's both negative and positive ones. It's up to you to do it properly."

I try to set realistic goals. I know that I'm not fast, but I try to contribute to the team in my own ways. I know the seniors have certain expectations of me. And sometimes I feel pressured playing with them. Because they're good and to be able to keep up with them, you've got to improve. You can't rest and you can't be contented. Rugby doesn't involve just good hands alone. There are a lot of other things, and there's no limit to what you can do.

We heard that in 2003, after laying off training for so long, you cried while doing a circuit.

Who told you this ah?? Seriously, I don't think I cried leh. I was just tired, and since I've laid off it for so long maybe I sounded like I was crying. And you know la, after not doing for so long, the circuits, dunno what kind we have "awesome, super, greatest. Killer"

With many more rugby-playing years ahead of you, where do you see yourself in a half-decade's time?

I hope to be on par if not better than the seniors. Well see how it goes. It's hard to say what can happen in 5 years. It's very unpredictable.

Any advice to wee ruggers out there?

As a student, your first priority is to study. Don't neglect it just for rugby's sake. Learn to organize time. Show your parents that you can be responsible and can prioritise. That way, they would be more supportive of what you do.

I was having my Secondary 2 streaming examinations the year Blacks went to Perth. So I made a deal with them… their permission to go in exchange for my getting into the science stream (yea, my first trip with blacks).

Also, I've learnt to be flexible when reacting to situations... you must think on the spot to play this game well. Rugby's a mind game, despite the common belief that it's only a physical one.

Once a mistake is made during game, instead of dwelling on it, just play on and tell yourself not to commit the same mistake. Take every game as a learning experience. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. That's how we learn and of course, after the game, reflect on what went wrong, how and why did it happen, and what you must be improve on.

Any heroes?

No heroes in particular. but I really admire the way the seniors train. And as for those in the national team, I think they really do deserve it, after all the hard work. The majority weren't overnight successes.

P.S : I would like to take this opportunity to thank the seniors ( a bunch of sporty and likeable people) for the amazing experience that I have had for the past few years in Blacks... they are the ones who make things happen... I think the most memorable part is my first trip with Blacks was in 2001, thanks for bringing me, this xiao mei mei up to perth... I really enjoyed the trip, it was also an eye opener for me... the 1.5 week stay has definitely bonded us, and allowed me to know them better.

"I believe that I have been through more than most other 17 year olds."

Being in Blacks for the past few years has definitely made my life more meaningful.

. interview by inky . photos by skookum tumtum .

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	Name : Tan Hui Juan Y.O.R.B (year of rugger birth) : 1996 Rucking with Blacks since : 2000 With a penchant for all things cute and fluffy being the only telltale sign of her true age. Meet Hui Juan; Blacks once-youngest player (and possibly still so), and guai lan extraordinaire. It doesn't seem like it was too long ago, when she joined Blacks as a 12-year-old fresh out of primary school, and made history during her first rugby tour (Destination: Perth) in 2001 as the youngest player to ever tour with the club, where she discovered the evils of chocolate liquor amongst other things. Although she does a mean act of juggling the multiple roles of rugger, student, daughter, and one half of a karaoke-mad duo, this outgoing, but surprisingly domestically-inclined girl occasionally sets these personas aside to take on that of Mrs Fieldss and an aspiring Konnyaku artist. More below on her beliefs, thoughts, and other ponderings... How did you chance on the fine game of rugby? I started with Singa Rugby in Primary 4 in 1997, while I was at Chong Boon Primary. My school introduced it as a Co-curricular Activity (CCA). I was chosen to play by my teachers to play for the school - Actually I think it was pure chance that I took it up as I was among the last to be selected. My first impression of rugby...very weird (oval shaped ball), and that we had to pass backwards. We had to play against older players (primary 5-6 players) when we first went for competition. The first year was more for experience and exposure. However, we were the champs for 1998 and 1999 - yeah! Haha (",) But nowadays, primary schools don't play Singa Rugby anymore. I joined Blacks when my ex-coach Carmel Seeto, who was a former Blacks player, brought my friends and I for Blacks recruitment in 2000…that was my first experience and encounter with contact and touch, which were totally new things to me. Although my basics were there, i.e. hands. etc., the rules were totally different and I had to start from scratch. Actually, i wanted to leave at one point in time. Because the environment was new, I was youngest in the club, and since my friends who came for the recruitment left, I was unfamiliar with everyone...Travelling from where I lived was also a problem, because it was tiring. "Besides rugby, I was also involved in my school's Chinese dance club. I also took up ballet in community centres for 2 years. I have a grade 3 and 4 certificate from the Royal Academy for that. I quite flexible leh, don't play play" Whether dance has helped me with rugby...well, there are usually practices and rehearsals before the performance. As for rugby- you have to go through the moves, scrums and line-outs etc. Practice makes perfect in both. "However, in rugby, we play it there and then. In a sense that we can't predict what will happen exactly in a game, situations simply happen and you gotta react to it accordingly. There's no replay. Unlike dance where there's a specific step and rhythm you have to follow. Besides, rugby is very addictive, you can never get enough it. It's not so much of individual flare, but about teamwork, playing smart and thinking on your feet." If your had your way would rugby balls be pink? PINK?? Did I hear wrongly?? I have to make this clear, pink is not my favourite colour. A lot of you are mistaken. It's wrong! It's a myth! It's not! I don't know how it started la - all this association with pink. I now try to avoid pink stuff. I'm okay with every colour, as long as the item looks good. It's really bo pian, not that I purposely chose pink. It's really coincidence. People have described you as an 18 year old girl with the mind of one much older, who is wise in the ways of the world, and incredibly street-smart. All of which are amazing qualities for someone your age. How old do you feel? I am old... yes and no. Since joining Blacks, my life has changed tremendously, and I've learnt many things along the way. Like a pivot point... Yes in that I've been exposed to ..."elderly" people. HAHA! I think like someone slightly older than me. The environment has forced me to grow up, and I've learnt how to communicate with them. Must have a common topic to talk about what, besides rugby. Responsibility - Blacks isn't like a CCA where you are required to satisfy attendance requirements. You have to learn to commit and no one's going to force you down for training. I used to feel obliged to play and perform, but every since my ankle injury, it's not just about going down every Sunday anymore. I realized that I love the game and have the passion for it. I never used to have goals, but now I do. Leadership, independence and initiative - In a club, everyone's involved. We can't just rely on a captain or a coach to get things moving and done. Everyone has to play a part. Simple things like leading the warmup and getting water, it's simply initiative. "Nobody can afford to spoonfeed you here. You've got to learn to speak up for yourself. If you need help, you have to ask for it. Although the seniors are willing to teach and help you, you can't always rely on them to notice your weak points. Whatever you want to know, you have to ask. It takes two hands to clap." All this has helped me in life too, because now that I'm in polytechnic, there's a need to be independent. "Blacks has definitely forced me to grow up faster, and I've learnt things that cannot be found in text books. I can proudly say that my teenage years have been meaningful. I do think about what I would be doing now if I didn't play rugby. Maybe hanging around with my friends in orchard road every Sunday?? I still do some typical teenage things, like watching movies, going to arcades, but not as often as my friends. Because I have commitments, training and such, I need to prioritise more." But then I can be quite kiddish at times... I have a fetish for "Cutesy" stuff hahaha! In fact, the seniors are like big sisters to me la. I've had a lot of first times with the club. First tour to Perth , first time in a pub and drinking, first time I've seen so many people squashed into a chalet during the boot camp muahahaha. And many many more... I used to be a very quiet person, fyi, I never used to speak up or talk much. It was this environment that has helped to mould my character. Tell us about the upcoming Great Zouk Inauguration. A Lian institution? It's an agreement made with EUNICE TAY! The lian bu (",) She promised to take me there when I turn 18. That was 4 years ago, and she still remembers! Good memory hahaa. It's four months away, and I'm looking forward to it! You are seen quite often before training, slathering yourself generously with SPF 100 sun-block. Would you say that there are conflicting issues between your quests for two extremities i.e. fairer skin and rugby enlightenment? UVA is responsible for premature ageing and the development of skin cancer UVB is the primary cause of burning and blistering UVC is the most dangerous to our skin but is filtered by the ozone layer and does not reach the earth's surface This is from a magazine. They were promoting sunblock products. Right now I'm using with UVA protection. It's much more better. See, it's responsible for premature aging. Don't wanna look like 30 when I reach 20? Actually, at most I use 50-plus ones. Now I'm using SPF 40 with UVA and UVB, double protection! It's not that I'm vain, it's necessary! They always say that I'm vain… dunno why leh. Oh, and I used to use hazeline snow! I brought it to perth muahahaha. It's very cooling if you keep it in the fridge and apply it on your face. Btw I don't use it now, I stopped 3 years ago. What was your most embarrassing moment? My shorts slit a few inches during game… luckily got wear tights. Jane said that maybe my backside grew bigger la, haha. An unnamed source tells us that you're the only person bold enough to tell Chongfu off when he misses his man on field. How dare you? Why ah? Why am I so bold. Chongfu. I think it was because he missed his man. I don't remember why. Because I was just beside him, and I was his teammate. Are you sure I'm the only person? Are you saying that Chongfu cannot be scolded? I want to ask, why don't people scold him? Maybe it's because he can't be bothered to run after the person. Haha… We often hear of young athletes who burn out early in their careers, more often then not, due to pressure and over-exertion. Do you face such problems? What has kept you going all these years? Having to handle studies, rugby and other commitments can be hard at times. Especially when the exam and tournament periods clash. "Sometimes it's hard, because when I tell myself that I have to study, I always end up going for training. Maybe it's because I feel bad about missing training, because it's a team game afterall, and my not going down might affect our team's moves and calls." It's also sort of like my motivation, to finish a number of chapters before I allow myself to go for trainings. These young athletes. If you really love and have the passion for something, you won't get sick of the sport. Find something to renew your passion every now and then. Set goals and decide on how to make things different. It's up to you to make things exciting. "I also have problems with fitness drills, where you have to run… and I don't like running. And sometimes the seniors say things like "you're young, you should be faster!" It's not true. I have my own difficulties too. But it's up to you to handle the pressure, there's both negative and positive ones. It's up to you to do it properly." I try to set realistic goals. I know that I'm not fast, but I try to contribute to the team in my own ways. I know the seniors have certain expectations of me. And sometimes I feel pressured playing with them. Because they're good and to be able to keep up with them, you've got to improve. You can't rest and you can't be contented. Rugby doesn't involve just good hands alone. There are a lot of other things, and there's no limit to what you can do. We heard that in 2003, after laying off training for so long, you cried while doing a circuit. Who told you this ah?? Seriously, I don't think I cried leh. I was just tired, and since I've laid off it for so long maybe I sounded like I was crying. And you know la, after not doing for so long, the circuits, dunno what kind we have "awesome, super, greatest. Killer" With many more rugby-playing years ahead of you, where do you see yourself in a half-decade's time? I hope to be on par if not better than the seniors. Well see how it goes. It's hard to say what can happen in 5 years. It's very unpredictable. Any advice to wee ruggers out there? As a student, your first priority is to study. Don't neglect it just for rugby's sake. Learn to organize time. Show your parents that you can be responsible and can prioritise. That way, they would be more supportive of what you do. I was having my Secondary 2 streaming examinations the year Blacks went to Perth. So I made a deal with them… their permission to go in exchange for my getting into the science stream (yea, my first trip with blacks). Also, I've learnt to be flexible when reacting to situations... you must think on the spot to play this game well. Rugby's a mind game, despite the common belief that it's only a physical one. Once a mistake is made during game, instead of dwelling on it, just play on and tell yourself not to commit the same mistake. Take every game as a learning experience. Don't be afraid of making mistakes. That's how we learn and of course, after the game, reflect on what went wrong, how and why did it happen, and what you must be improve on. Any heroes? No heroes in particular. but I really admire the way the seniors train. And as for those in the national team, I think they really do deserve it, after all the hard work. The majority weren't overnight successes. P.S : I would like to take this opportunity to thank the seniors ( a bunch of sporty and likeable people) for the amazing experience that I have had for the past few years in Blacks... they are the ones who make things happen... I think the most memorable part is my first trip with Blacks was in 2001, thanks for bringing me, this xiao mei mei up to perth... I really enjoyed the trip, it was also an eye opener for me... the 1.5 week stay has definitely bonded us, and allowed me to know them better. *"I believe that I have been through more than most other 17 year olds."* Being in Blacks for the past few years has definitely made my life more meaningful. . interview by inky . photos by skookum tumtum .