From call centre to England - the rise of Feaunati

Maddie Feaunati has won 10 caps for England

"I don't think they really liked me because I was always off with rugby or injured," recalls England's Maddie Feaunati of her time working for a call centre in New Zealand.

Just a year after hanging up the phone for the final time and joining Exeter she has earned herself a central contract with the Red Roses and is eyeing up next summer's World Cup - a far cry from her time taking calls for a bank in her bedroom.

"In New Zealand they always knew me for finding the good jobs that worked around rugby," she says.

"Most players have to work and play and I'm grateful that right now I don't have to."

The 22-year-old back-row has been associated with rugby for as long as she can remember.

Born in Leeds in 2002 while her father Isaac - a Samoan international - played for the then-Premiership Tykes, her early years were spent in Bath where he spent five years from 2003.

"I can remember growing up around the Rec with the likes of Michael Lipman and all that," she tells BBC Sport.

"They all inspired me and they all cheer me on to this day and message me on Instagram in replies to my stories.

"It's pretty cool to have that support team around you as well."

Maddie's father Isaac Feaunati played for Bath, Leeds, Rotherham, London Irish and Samoa

Having played in Super Rugby Aupiki for the Hurricanes Poua and Wellington Pride Feaunati made the move to England a year ago.

She has proven to be a superb find by Chiefs head coach Susie Appleby - not only English qualified but also international class.

"We were desperate to get EQP (English Qualified Player) numbers of quality players in here," Appleby tells BBC Sport.

"I probably brought in about four players from around the world that I found last season and she was the golden nugget.

"At first sight she was incredibly talented, but really raw.

"New Zealand don't play in systems, New Zealand just play rugby. She had no idea about the why's, the how's, the where's.

"That was the exciting bit, that you can learn that, but you can't teach raw talent."

Appleby is under no illusions of how good Feaunati could become - especially with a World Cup on the horizon:

"The world's her oyster. She's got a massive future ahead of her, but she's a young player still," Appleby added.

"She's learning her trade, she could be one of the best players in the world, but she's not yet."

Feaunati says her ambition for some time had been to make the move to Premiership Women's Rugby, while deep down knowing she had what it took to have a chance of playing on the international stage.

"I was seeing how far I could get in New Zealand and i was probably there or thereabouts," she said.

"I could have given it a couple more years, but to me growing up and watching the Red Roses and being part of the RFU is something that I really missed.

"I wanted to follow in my Dad's footsteps a bit in coming over here and doing the club thing, but I always knew that I could play for England, so I strived for that as well."

Feaunati (right) started Exeter's 57-7 loss to Saracens at Sandy Park last May

All eyes will be on Feaunati and her team-mates this weekend as Exeter meet Saracens in their top-of-the-table clash in Premiership Women's Rugby.

Both sides have won all four of their matches this season - Sarries lead by two points having earned a try-scoring bonus in all four of their fixtures.

And with all players who had been away with their countries at the WXV tournaments now fully rested and integrated back with their club sides, it promises to be a mouth-watering fixture between the league's form sides.

"We know Sarries has a really big pack, they've got great backs, they've got a great kicking game," says Feaunati.

"The focus this week has been all about us, we haven't focused too much on how well we can integrate together because we know we have the pack and we know we have the skills in the backs.

"We've got a really good mindset down here at Chiefs, so hopefully we can put it all together and put on a good performance, but win or lose we're a really strong-knit team down here."