How Lara Bingle 'changed' the game for Aussie cricket WAGs
The arrival of Lara Worthington (formerly Bingle) on the scene, changed the landscape for WAGs in Australia forever, according Ricky Ponting's wife Rianna.
The modern day WAG is often as famous and frequently more followed on social media than their male cricketing partners, but it wasn't always the way.
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Former Australia Test captain Ricky Pointing's wife says the arrival of Michael Clarke's former girlfriend Bingle, was a game-changer for WAGs around the country.
Clarke and Bingle (now married to actor Sam Worthington) were the glamour couple of Aussie sport before their split in 2010, after being engaged for two years.
Bingle became a household name around the country when she uttered the now infamous line, "Where the bloody hell are ya?" in a tourism ad campaign seen around the world.
Clarke was one of Australia's most talented batsman, who would go on to become captain of the national side, and the pair's relationship was played out very much under the intense gaze of the public eye.
Speaking to Stellar Magazine, Ponting's wife says WAG life was never the same again, following Bingle’s arrival.
“I think it changed when the beautiful Lara Bingle (now Worthington) came along and made WAGs interesting,” Rianna said.
“Prior to that, cricket WAGs weren’t really a thing. And thank goodness!
“The idea of no one caring (about me) was much easier than having all that scrutiny.”
Aussie public’s WAG love-affair
Clarke's subsequent marriage to Kyly Boldy and their marriage split has also played out very much in the public eye, as too has the former Aussie captain's new relationship with fashion designer Pip Edwards.
Australian off-spinner Nathan Lyon's marriage breakdown with the mother of his children, Melissa Waring, also came under the spotlight of an Aussie public increasingly obsessed with WAGs.
David and Candace Warner know all too well about Australia's love-affair with sporting glamour couples, with both having to confront demons from their past and having their private life played out very publicly.
Mitchell Starc and Alyssa Healy both Aussie cricketing superstars in their own rights, while Steve Smith's partner Dani Willis is one of the few high-profile WAGs who've managed to largely avoid the searing spotlight.
Australia's equal most-capped Test cricketer Ponting suggested things could have been much different, it his wife wasn't able to do the same.
“She won’t admit it, but she’s allowed me to live the life I’ve wanted to live,” Ponting told Stellar Magazine.
“Even sacrificing her own career. She’s a qualified lawyer and solicitor (but) she’s never practised a day.
“She knew she couldn’t if we were to work.
“Rianna did such a big job looking after the kids when I was playing. Obviously, there are challenges. But I don’t remember even having any phone calls when she would tell me how hard it was. She made sure I was right to play.”
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