Neumann set for 50th cap in Wales' World Cup opener
If the start of the 2025 Rugby World Cup was not exciting enough, Wales wing Lisa Neumann is also facing the honour of winning her 50th cap.The 31-year-old is set for her landmark appearance in Wales' opener against Scotland on Saturday.It will be a full circle moment for the Harlequins player after winning her first cap against the same opposition in the 2018 Six Nations. "It's amazing to be here at the World Cup, to be able to play and get your 50th is just extra special," said Neumann."It feels a bit surreal. All my friends are like 'how have you managed this?'"
Neumann herself once questioned how she had managed to juggle full-time work with the demands of training during Wales' amateur days.She would make the eight-hour round trip from Manchester to Cardiff three times a week for training, then play at the weekends.Neumann took a leap of faith in 2022 by shelving a promising career in biomedical science to become one of the first 12 women to sign a professional contract with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU). "To go from a secure job and to take a pay cut to pursue your dream of being an athlete and a rugby player comes with challenges," Neumann said. "It's a big risk, but there have been so many highs which is what keeps you going through all those lows. "You just remember how much good you've had in that jersey, it's something that I want to keep doing."
Neumann fell out of favour during the latter stages of Ioan Cunningham's time as Wales head coach, but a move from Gloucester-Hartpury to Harlequins in February 2024 reignited her form and passion for the game."I was in a place where I didn't enjoy my rugby as much as I had in the past," she said."The best thing I could have done was sign for Harlequins. I play with a smile, they allow me to play really freely."Playing with people like Ellie Kildunne [World Rugby player of the year] is just amazing, to be able to learn from experienced players like that is incredible."I've played some of my best rugby at Quins and hopefully I can bring that in a Wales shirt as well."
With Canada hotly tipped to top Pool B, Neumann and her team-mates know all too well that their quarter-final hopes could very well hinge on the opening game with Scotland.Scotland have won the last three outings between the two sides, but their players are experiencing a similar contract turmoil to the one Wales went through last year."I empathise with them, we've been through it and to have that going into a World Cup is not ideal," said Neumann. "It's really hard to put the emotions and the feelings aside and to then focus on your rugby. It is difficult, but you come to a place where you just have to hope for the best and focus on what you can control."It's a Test match at the end of the day, it's a World Cup, it's going to be a battle so we need to focus on what we can do, just like they will focus on what they can do, and we'll see what happens."
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