The season that almost never was is becoming the season that never ends for Claudia Nielsen.
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Not that she is complaining. As far as she's concerned the more rugby the better.
Hot on the heels of starring for the Pirates women's 7s side in their New England premiership triumph, Nielsen will in Sydney on Sunday return to her 15s roots as the NSW Country women's side kick-off their Chikarovski Cup campaign against Sydney Blue.
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Where it all really started for her, being plucked from relative obscurity to play for the Rugby WA side in the Super W, Nielsen is excited about playing some top level 15s again.
Her last game was back on March 14 against the NSW Waratahs.
The tournament will be played over two weekends with the Corellas set to tackle Canberra and Sydney Gold in Bathurst the following weekend.
To be led by Wallaroos captain Grace Hamilton, the squad also includes Moree's Ash Walker and several of the Super W-winning Waratahs side, and was selected following a trial day at Singleton late last month.
One of a few northern talents to attend the trials, Nielsen said she wasn't really expecting to make the team.
It was more about just getting some more experience, and minutes under her belt.
After finally realising her wish to play some 7s over the winter, she said going back to 15s was a bit of a challenge.
"The games are just so different, even the tackling's completely different and the space," she said.
"(And) You forget what it's like to have to run off a forward pack because in 7s you're the forward pack, and you're the outside back and you're the fullback - you're everything and in 15s you have more of a definite role."
She admitted she did have to a couple of times pull herself back from getting involved in the play as is the natural instinct in 7s.
But it wasn't just the vagaries of the 15s game she had to adjust to but also a completely new position.
"I trialled at 13 rather than playing wing just because that's sort of a goal of mine to move my way in to outside centre, so that was hard," she said.
"That was the first time I'd trialled at 13 let alone played at 13."
Only really picking up a rugby ball two years ago, one of the main reasons for Nielsen wanting to move into the centres is to expand her skills.
"I want to get my skills up, like ball skills and just a bit more vision, and I think you get that in the centres," she said.
She won't be the only local talent pulling on the Country gold this weekend with Magpies young gun Mitch Watts, Quirindi's Luke Fechner and Scone's Edward Bell, who attends The Armidale School, to play for the NSW Country Gen Blue under-18s side against their City counterparts.
