When Ruth Mitchell came to Hong Kong 36 years ago, little did she know the immense role she would play in women's rugby union in the city.
Born and bred in Liverpool, Mitchell was a big fan of Premier League soccer side Everton and had never even played rugby before she set foot in Hong Kong.
But she made such an impression over the years that the International Rugby Board (IRB) chose her as the recipient of the Women's Personality of the Year Award last week.
Mitchell (pictured), 56, is one of the most popular and well-liked personalities in Hong Kong and Asian rugby union circles, but the award came as a total surprise to her.
She thought she was attending the IRB Awards Dinner in Auckland the night after the World Cup final only as a member of the Hong Kong Rugby Football Union contingent.
The rest knew she was getting the honour, but kept quiet about it.
'It was a huge shock when they said my name,' Mitchell said. 'I got onto the stage and saw the All Blacks team sitting there looking up at me.