Latest news with #JenniScoble
BBC News
09-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
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 32-year from Cardiff is juggling a Test career with being a fulltime firefighter with South Wales Fire and Rescue 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 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 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 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 with the Rugby World Cup looming later this summer, Scoble admits she may need to take a bit more time away from the fire 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.
BBC News
07-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales stars on show for Thunder and Lightning
Celtic ChallengeGwalia Lightning v CloversVenue: Ystrad Mynach Date: Saturday, 8 March Kick off: 12:00 GMTBrython Thunder v Glasgow WarriorsVenue: Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli Date: Sunday, 9 March Kick off: 12:00 GMTCoverage: Watch live on iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, followed by report Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder will be looking to end their Celtic Challenge season on a high in the final last round of games before the start of the 2025 Women's Guinness Six Nations Lightning have had a solid campaign as Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin's squad prepare for a clash with the Clovers this skipper Bryonie King will be one of the players hoping to conclude the tournament on a positive note ahead joining up with the Wales Number 8 will be joined by teammates Gwennan Hopkins, Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Alaw Pyrs, Lily Terry, Sian Jones, Kerin Lake, Meg Davies, Cath Richards and Jenny Hesketh in wearing the national GB Sevens player Cath Richards will return to the side after playing in the Perth and Vancouver tournaments to start at full back in one of three changes behind the Williams-Morris takes over on the right wing and Anwen Owens comes in at the pack, Molly Reardon and Jenni Scoble come into a new look front row while Lily Terry moves up into the second row and Hopkins takes over from her in the back row."We've had some good battles already with the powerful Irish sides and I know the players will be relishing the chance to end their campaign against a top quality outfit," said Nicholas-McLaughlin." It will be a chance to lay a marker down for next season as much as anything."We want to put on a good show and I know all the players are highly motivated. We can't finish any higher or lower than third, just like last season, but we can go out with a bang." Meanwhile Brython Thunder will hoping to repeat last weekend's 33-17 victory over Glasgow Beck's side welcome the same opponents to home turf this Sunday, which includes eight Wales Six Nations Squad membersStella Orin, Rosie Carr, Cadi-Lois Davies, Robyn Davies, Gwen Crabb, Lucy Isaac, Hannah Bluck and Niamh Terry looking to give new head coach Sean Lynn some headaches ahead of the has made one change to his backline from last week's game as Hanna Marshall starts at No 10 ahead of Terry. Up front, Rosie Carr returns at hooker in place of Chloe Grant and Catrin Jones replaces Lucy Isaac in the back row."We're looking for a repeat performance to last weekend in a bid to match the three wins we registered in last season's tournament and to finish ahead of Glasgow," said Thunder head coach Beck."We realise they will be smarting from their defeat at home and we can take nothing for granted,""A lot of highly promising young Welsh players have been taken out of their comfort zone throughout this Celtic Challenge, and they will be all the better for it moving forward. Now we want to end on a high to give our fans something to cheer." Line-Ups Brython Thunder: Hannah Lane; Ellie Tromans, Hannah Bluck, Gabby Healan, Eleanor Hing; Hanna Marshall, Seren Singleton; Stella Orrin, Rosie Carr, Cadi Lois Davies, Robyn Davies, Gwen Crabb, Catrin Jones, Danai Mugabe, Jess Rogers (capt)Repslacements: Meg Lewis, Lowri Williams, Katie Carr, Anna Stowell, Rhiannon Griffin, Savannah Picton-Powell, Meg Webb, Ffion DaviesGwalia Lightning: Rhodd Parry; Caitlin Lewis, Carys Williams-Morris, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Courtney Greenway; Carys Hughes, Sian Jones; Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Lily Terry, Alaw Pyrs, Katherine Baverstock, Paige Jones, Bryonie King (capt).Replacements: Molly Wakely, Dali Hopkins, Cana Williams, Erin Jones, Lottie Buffery-Latham, Seren Lockwood, Anwen Owen, Lowri Davies.
