Tackling fires and rugby players - Scoble is living the dream
Women's Six Nations: France v WalesVenue: Stade Amedee-Domenech, Brive Date: Saturday, 12 April Kick-off: 12:45 BSTCoverage: Watch on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport Online, listen on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Sounds
Tackling raging fires or ferocious rugby players is not for the faint hearted, yet it is something Wales prop Jenni Scoble embraces with total commitment.The 32-year from Cardiff is juggling a Test career with being a fulltime firefighter with South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.She joined the service in 2023 and says it had "always been a dream" to do so."I held off from going for it and then just had the confidence one year to have a go," Scoble said."I applied one or two times and then I got in. It's an incredible career, it doesn't really feel like a job. Some days are obviously tough, but I've always wanted to do it."Scoble follows in the line of several internationals who have combined careers in the fire service, with the likes of Naomi Thomas, Rebecca Openshaw-Rowe, Rafiuke Taylor and Shona Powell-Hughes Wakley all coming before her.
Homegrown talent
Scoble has been somewhat of a surprise package in this year's Women's Six Nations, starting at tight-head in the first two games.She is one of just a handful of players who play rugby in Wales, with the majority of the squad plying their trade in England's Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR).Her career started at Llandaff North before two seasons with Gwalia Lightning in the Celtic Challenge, which brought Scoble to the attention of Wales' new head coach Sean Lynn, who is clearly a fan. While Wales suffered a heavy defeat by England at the Principality Stadium last time out, it was a pinch-me moment for Scoble.Not only did she celebrate scoring against the world's best team, it was actually her first ever try in rugby. "Insane, it hasn't really settled in yet, it was amazing," she told BBC Sport Wales."I was shocked when I did it and had to resettle myself and get back into the game. It was just incredible and the noise, I've never experienced anything like that."It was my first time playing in front of a home crowd and to have that as a record crowd was amazing."I think I need to have five minutes after the Six Nations to let it all settle in."
While most of Lynn's squad are full-time professionals with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Scoble is contracted only for the camps.She said it is a "bit of a juggle" managing training and matches with her job, but that both parties have been "really understanding"."To get the time off, I need a lot of help from colleagues and whenever I've had a difficult time to get a shift covered there has always been someone randomly across south Wales who has put their hand up to help me. It's been amazing," Scoble said.But with the Rugby World Cup looming later this summer, Scoble admits she may need to take a bit more time away from the fire service.Asked if she could ever give up her career, she said: "I don't think I could, it's hard to choose. "I'm in a very lucky position of being able to do the two. It's a job I love and enjoy and I don't want to let go."
Keep calm and carry on
In the meantime, Scoble says the jobs complement each other."Definitely the fitness and then mindset stuff," she said."You train to deal with fires in difficult situations, so I think that has helped me quite a bit in terms of being able to stay calm."The starting shirt comes with quite a lot of pressure, but my training has really helped me to remain calm and focused on my job."The team stuff as well, obviously I'm part of a watch, you get used to being in a team and those are transferable skills."And while most consider Scoble as a role model, especially to young girls, she modestly says: "I just feel like I'm being me, doing my job."She adds: "But it is amazing to think that's what young people get to see, that a woman can do a job as a firefighter and play rugby. It's hard to realise that I'm doing that sometimes."Scoble returns to action with Wales this weekend as the team travel to Brive to take on France.
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