Emily TuttosiPhoto illustration The Globe and Mail. Source photo Phil Walter/Getty Images/Getty Images
Although front-row forwards have not traditionally been the most prolific sources of offence, Emily Tuttosi played little heed to that at last year’s Rugby World Cup. She scored a hat trick of tries in her tournament debut before ending the competition as Canada’s leading try scorer with six, ultimately finding her way on to World Rugby’s end-of-year Dream Team as the best hooker on the planet. Recently the 28-year-old followed that up with a pair of tries in three games as Canada finished second in the inaugural WXV tournament in New Zealand last month.
What is your favourite journey?
It would probably have to be my rugby journey right now because it’s very unexpected at times, and it’s had its ups and downs, but I can’t think of anything that could be more rewarding for me at this time in my life.
What is your greatest fear?
To be honest, probably chickens and birds. I’m terrified of chickens. We had chickens when I was a kid, and I have a twin sister, so every second day, I’d have to collect the eggs. And every second day I would put on all of my winter clothing so that the chickens for sure did not touch me when I went into the coop.
What is your greatest extravagance?
My greatest extravagance – and I’m being completely honest – is probably the fact that I have Spotify and Duolingo premium on my phone. Those are the two things that I think are really bougie about myself. Or maybe it could be my ‘97 Corsa that I drive right now. I’m a pretty bougie gal, you know?
Where would you most like to live in the world?
Right now I really do enjoy being in Exeter and playing in the Prem [English Premiership] but if you could chuck me somewhere in the mountains, where I could go hiking or biking or canoeing or something every day, I think I would be living my best life.
What is your favourite occupation?
I don’t know. I really do enjoy coaching. I love spreading the joy of and the knowledge of rugby, especially to women and girls in the community. It’s real fun for me to go and just like ‘Hoo-rah girl power, let’s go!’ Rugby is not just a game for boys. So that might be my second occupation. Yeah, I’m just a little obsessed with this game, I think.
What is it that you most dislike?
I most dislike … some of the classics: gender inequality is one that, especially as a woman in sports, really gets me. It also gets me how multifaceted some of the social problems are, and it feels like there’s not a solution to end homelessness or world hunger. Some of those big issues that you have to look at, like small things making a big difference, because globally, it’s not going to be just one quick fix. And on more of the pet-peeve side, something that I don’t like would be slow walkers and loud chewers.
Do you come across those two in often in rugby?
Occasionally, to be honest, even some of my good pals at times I look at them and they know what the look means. It means either speed up, or it means stop eating so loud. And I also have to accept that I need to be open to everyone’s pace and style. So it’s a two-way street.
So how fast do you walk?
I’m a walk-with-purpose gal. Yeah, I would say probably above the average, and when I’m trying to walk chill it is probably like most people’s regular pace.
So you’re not one of those people staring down at your phone while you walk?
Oh no, because when I see those people walking in my path, all of me wants to give them a big push, which I obviously wouldn’t do but that’s how I feel inside.
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Some facial scarring or skin because I have some adult acne but hey, you know what, this is who I am and the face scars also, most of them have a good rugby story behind them so probably that. It’s not something that really gets me down but I’m like, huh, if I could not have a permanent fat lip from a game of touch, I’d probably choose that.
But no cauliflower ears?
Thankfully not. I wrestled a bit in university so I’m glad that I avoided that trend.
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Rugby would be up there but I don’t think I could narrow it down to one person actually and if I did have to it would probably be my nephew. He’s very small still, but I actually didn’t realize that I could love somebody like I love my nephew until I had a nephew, which was pretty wild.
Do you read at all?
I do some reading. Right now I’m reading The Inner Game of Golf, and seeing how relatable it could be to a line-out throw and just the different focusing mental aspects of that.
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
If it were an animal, I would hope that it would be a bear or a grizzly bear. I don’t want to end up scaring people that are out in nature. But I think you just get to live your life in your space out in nature and largely untouched nature. Or I’d love to be somebody that was like a super-good climber, navigator or sailor, or in some really extreme outdoor sport that I could be a guide in and explore different facets of the world while showing other people the beauty and joy of it, too.
Being out in nature, is it the isolation that appeals to you?
One of the things I do love about the mountains is especially when you’re at the top, how small and irrelevant you feel. You just are like, ‘Wow, this world is so big and beautiful.’ And there’s so many people and animals and things existing, but you just feel kind of still and calm. And that’s what I love about the mountains. Also, even when I’m in the sea, especially if you’re jumping in waves, you’re like ‘Whoa, I am really irrelevant at times in the grand scheme of the world.’ And you can just focus on what all your senses are feeling because you don’t have the rat race that is daily life happening.