Lakeisha Hull of Dubbo and Narromine's Billy Browning feature in new Australian Rugby Union campaign

Billy Browning can identify with that better than most.

Narromine’s Browning, along with Lakeisha Hull of Dubbo, are two of the eight ‘faces of rugby’ who are part of a new national Australian Rugby Union campaign, alongside some of the biggest names in the sport.

The campaign was launched earlier this week with the aim to make rugby union more relevant, inclusive and accessible to all Australians.

Each of the eight players, as well as the likes of Wallabies captain Michael Hooper, Australian sevens star Charlotte Caslick and legend of the game George Gregan, is featured in a short video where they discuss what the game means to them. 

Sixteen-year-old Hull is part of a new wave of talented, female players and for her the game has given her confidence and belief in herself.

“I can do anything when I’m on the field,” she says in the video.

“It’s taught me to believe in myself and just because I’m small it doesn’t mean I can’t play.”

For Browning, rugby is ingrained in not only himself but his town.

The Narromine Gorillas club has been running the ‘Beat the Breakdown’ day for five years, promoting the message of mental health awareness and raising money along the way.

The initiative was started following the passing of Browning’s father, Glenn, and last year the club raised $13,000.

“It’s reaching farther than we could have ever reached,” Browning said of the positive message now it’s featured in the campaign.

“It’s portrayed really nicely and personally we’re so grateful to the (Gorillas) club for the way they’ve supported the message of mental health and promoted that.”

For Hull, one of the stars of the Central Wests side which competed at last year’s NSW Country Junior Rugby Union Under 17s Girls Championship, there was some nerves around seeing the campaign for the first time.

“I was pretty nervous because I don’t like the sound of my own voice and it was pretty nerve-wracking when it came on and other people were watching,” she said.

“But then you have the pride about who you are, where you come from and why you play rugby.”

While the campaign promotes the game and the people involved, Browning is most pleased to see country rugby being recognised.

“Lots of people have been screaming out for a focus on the bush and it looks like they’ve listened,” he said.

“Obviously it’s great to get a wider audience and increase that audience but it’s great to see them doing it at a grassroots level.”

As well as Hull and Browning, the campaign features the likes of two schoolmates who credit rugby for keeping them out of trouble and off the streets.

There’s a Northern Territory development manager who helps kids get into the game while there’s also Raja and her family of five, who have found a sense of belonging and a connection to the wider community through rugby.

Each of the people invovled has a message in relation to community rugby and Browning and Hull are the same.

The former speaks of playing alongside his neighbour, banker, and mechanic in the one side while the latter says she feels part of a family when playing in her female representative side.

The launch at Sydney this week was a massive thrill for Hull, who got to meet Caslick, someone she admires greatly.

The 16-year-old Hull has her own ambitions to play for Australia and represent her country at an Olympics game.

Browning couldn’t make the launch but he and the Gorillas are already planning to make the annual Beat the Breakdown round bigger than before.

After starting the fixture when the Gorillas played the Dubbo Kangaroos, last year saw it held during a clash with Yeoval.

In 2018, it will be held on a weekend when Narromine hosts the Parkes Boars.

“We’re spreading the word around different communities,” he said.