As a busy working parent, often travelling the world to commentate sporting events, rugby star Melodie Robinson knows how it feels to spend weeks away from her family.
So, when she agreed to compete in Celebrity Treasure Island, the 49-year-old thought she knew what she was signing up for. But nothing could have prepared Melodie for what it would be like to not have any contact with husband Marcus and their two sons Jensen, 12, and Freddie, 11.
“It was one of the hardest things I’ve had to do,” tells Melodie. “I felt quite isolated at times and I struggled with it, but it made me appreciate them so much more. The first thing I did when I was allowed to talk to my husband was to tell him how much I missed spending time with him and the kids, and how much I loved him.”
When she returned home to her boys, Melodie was delighted the feeling was mutual. “They gave me a big hug, told me how much they loved me and said, ‘Don’t go away again, Mum!'”
With a former Black Fern and a pro-golfer-turned-top-coach as parents, it’s no surprise Jensen and Freddie are both sports-mad. Freddie plays football and basketball, while Jensen has followed in Melodie’s footsteps and is a budding rugby star.
Sadly, for Marcus, 49, neither of his sons have shown any interest in golf.
“He tries every single day,” Melodie says with a laugh. “He pretty much has to force them to go to the golf course with him. So, it’s not going too well!”
Sweet reunion: Melodie couldn’t wait to see Marcus again.
With the Women’s Rugby World Cup currently being played in New Zealand for the first time, Melodie is relishing the opportunity to share the special moment with her boys.
“I’ve got tickets to every single game and I will be bringing my sons to all the matches,” she enthuses.
The New Plymouth-born journalist can’t stop marvelling at how far women’s rugby has come since she played her first test in 1996.
“I’ve been getting pretty emotional lately,” she shares. “I think about all the sacrifices that the women who came before made. Balancing jobs, balancing children, not getting paid. And now we finally see these incredible professional rugby players who are playing a World Cup in front of their home crowd. It’s awesome and I feel like I’ve been a part of it.”
Melodie has spent her adult life in the world of rugby. She won two World Cups in her time as a Black Fern, before retiring at 28 to pursue her other dream of becoming a commentator. Working for Sky, she became the first woman in Aotearoa to be a full-time rugby TV commentator.
In May next year, Melodie will celebrate her 50th birthday. While she’s unfazed by the milestone, the death of two of her rugby heroes has provided a sobering reminder of the importance of looking after her health as she gets older.
The first was Va’aiga Tuigamala, fondly known as Inga the Winger. She had long been an admirer of the All Black legend and was thrilled when she discovered he would also be competing on Celebrity Treasure Island.
When they arrived in Kaitaia before filming began, she spent every possible minute with him, talking about the yesteryears of rugby.
Melodie says even the castmates who knew nothing about Inga were quickly charmed by him. Tragically, the star died suddenly of heart issues on February 24, just before filming of the show began.
“That last night, all the contestants sat around talking and when Inga went to bed, everyone was like, ‘Oh, my God, that man is amazing.’ When we woke up in the morning, he was gone. It was devastating,” tells Melodie.
Playing camp mum to castaways Cam Mansel (left) and Elvis Lopeti.
Then, in September, Melodie was in South Africa with Tongan rugby great Willie Los’e, preparing to commentate the Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament, when he died suddenly.
“Willie and I worked together for over a decade at Sky TV and World Rugby. We’d be on the road together in New Zealand and overseas, enjoying a lot of laughs and some pretty late nights over the years. He was such a fun, positive influence in the commentary box and on the road.
“I especially loved his pride of being both Māori and Tongan, and being one of the first Polynesian voices on our sport airwaves.”
After letting her routine of daily runs lapse in recent times, Melodie says she has resumed the habit as she wants to enjoy many more years with her whānau.
“Inga had been exercising and Willie was super-fit, but even so, it makes you aware that we have to take care of ourselves, particularly for our children’s sakes.”
