Latest news with #Pyrs
BBC News
26-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'I fought so hard to be back' - Jones on injury woes
Women's Six Nations: Wales v EnglandVenue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 29 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online and listen on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru Missing one Premiership Women's Rugby final through injury is tough to take, but missing two is just was the reality for Wales hooker Kelsey Jones who watched Gloucester-Hartpury complete the 'threepeat' – three successive titles – with victory over Saracens earlier this missed out in 2024 as she was recovering from a disc replacement in her neck and was absent from this year's showpiece after suffering a serious knee injury last May."It's probably one of the hardest things I've been through as a player," said Jones. "They are the moments I want to be on the pitch and the business end of the season is probably my favourite time where I thrive in rugby."Jones said being forced to sit out the first final was "probably the hardest" because she had been involved in the beginning of that season."This time around I just knew it wasn't possible for me to be there, so I just played a different role," she added."It was absolutely crazy in the shed, supporting as loud as I could, cheering my friends on."It was still great to be a part of, but it was a bittersweet moment."Jones marked her return to action last Saturday, coming off the bench in Wales' opening-round defeat to Scotland in the Women's Six Nations."I fought so hard to try to be back," she said, citing the support of family, friends and team-mates."I genuinely don't think I would be back on that pitch on Saturday if it wasn't for a lot of those people." Jones was joined in coming back last weekend by two other Wales front-row stalwarts, Gwenllian Pyrs and Donna Jones, they both bear the scars of neck Sale Sharks loose-head Pyrs, Scotland was a first outing since surgery in November, which included a disc replacement and disc fusion, while Saracens tight-head Rose had a similar procedure in December."It was something that was developing and after WXV [last October] we decided that it was time to operate and then we had enough time to recover for the Six Nations," said Pyrs, who scored a try on her return in for Rose, playing on was not an option."I'd been playing through it for a while, denying to myself how bad it really was, and then it came to a point where I was in so much pain that I had to say to myself 'you do need this surgery, let's be honest here'," said Rose."I was kind of in the mindset [that] if I admit that I've hurt my neck that it's a career-ending injury. That's why I put it to the back of my mind and went through the pain, but here I am today fighting fit and ready to go."It's surreal being with the team again and running around. I wasn't afraid to take contact, I just wanted to get stuck in with the girls again." Asked if the long-term wear and tear of being a front-row forward concerned her, Jones said injury was "part and parcel of the sport"."You know playing rugby that it comes with the risks but I don't think I'd change anything. I'm here and living my best life. I absolutely love it and I'll worry about that when I get there," she experienced trio, who have over 100 caps between them, are in line to feature against England at the Principality Stadium on more than 12,000 tickets sold, the game has already broken the record for a standalone women's international rugby match in previous record was set during last year's Women's Six Nations, when 10,592 came out to watch Wales beat Italy.
BBC News
17-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Six Wales players to watch in Women's Six Nations
Women's Six Nations: Scotland v WalesVenue: The Hive Stadium, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 22 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online and listen on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru The 2025 Women's Six Nations is almost here and this year's championship brings fresh optimism for Wales. Armed with a new head coach in Sean Lynn, the side will be looking to bounce back from last year's bottom-place finish, starting with Saturday's opening trip to Edinburgh to take on Scotland. Lynn, who goes into camp fresh from winning the Premiership Women's Rugby title with Gloucester-Hartpury, has a 37-player squad to work with - made up of seasoned internationals and up and coming talent from the Celtic the action kicks-off, and with the World Cup later this year, BBC Sport has picked out six young Wales players to watch. Alaw Pyrs, 19, second row The younger sister of established Wales loose-head Gwenllian Pyrs, Alaw Pyrs certainly has big boots to made her senior Wales debut in a WXV2 warm-up against Scotland last September and travelled to South Africa with the squad the following was a turbulent time for the Bangor-born lock to make an impression given the player contracts upheaval and the eventual departure of head coach Ioan this season's Celtic Challenge is where Pyrs stepped out of her sister's was a standout player in Gwalia Lightning's third-place finish and showed herself to be a willing and powerful ball carrier with a eye for the 5ft 11in and over 14 stone, Conwy farmer Pyrs offers raw strength and a physical presence Wales will need if they are to take on the bigger admits Gwenllian is her rugby hero, but watch out for the not-so-little sister in 2025. Maisie Davies, 19, prop Maisie Davies demonstrated her international pedigree in the 2024 Women's Summer Series in Parma, with three tries in three matches earning her the accolade of Wales' MVP (most valuable player).Originally a blindside flanker, Davies made a seamless transition to loose-head prop while retaining the skills and swagger a seasoned wing would be proud of. She is also a natural leader and tipped by many as a future Wales made her senior debut in the same Scotland warm-up as Pyrs and also toured South Africa in the she enjoyed an outstanding season with Gwalia Lightning, her talent epitomised in a player-of-the-match display at Parc y Scarlets, which she dedicated to her late women are famed for their prop idols, and Davies has everything in her armoury to be another member of that band. Sian Jones, 20, scrum-half Sian Jones is another Gwalia Lightning success story, with her debut season earning her a call-up into Wales' senior squad for the 2024 Six in Bodelwyddan, Jones was the only girl in her mixed rugby team until the age of 14, a rite of passage which has given her a feistiness typical of her position.A fine distributor of the ball, Jones made her senior debut in last year's championship opener against while it was a memorable occasion for the youngster, one memory that will hurt is a kicking error which cost Wales their final attack of the what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right?Jones showed her mettle in starting the next match against England and has been pushing Keira Bevan for the nine jersey ever Lewis' return from injury will add extra competition this year, but Jones rightfully backs her ability. Nel Metcalfe, 20, wing/full-back Nel Metcalfe was a shining light in Welsh women's rugby in what was otherwise a forgetful Nant Conwy utility back fittingly made her senior debut in north Wales in a WXV1 warm-up victory over USA in 2023.A few weeks later she made her first start against world champions New Zealand, 12,000 miles away in Dunedin. And while Wales were hammered and Metcalfe was shown a yellow card for pulling hair, it was an experience which put her in good season she has been running in tries for Gloucester-Hartpury and was Wales' standout player at WXV2, playing with freedom and cites Dyddgu Hywel to be her inspiration, a player from the same roots and arguably the same mould. Bryonie King, 21, back-row Bryonie King has been on the international radar since she was just athletic back-rower from a sporting family, King also has international honours for Wales sevens and rugby in Mountain Ash and first tasting rugby at Abercynon RFC, King is another natural leader in this was given the armband for Gwalia Lightning this season, sharing captaincy duties with another powerhouse in Gwennan Hopkins. With her rugby inspiration coming from legendary All Black Richie Macaw, it is of little surprise King's game is all about graft and determination. She made her international debut in the 2023 Women's Six Nations, but opportunities have been scarce with the back-row one of Wales' greatest after a promising domestic season, 2025 could see the return of the King. Molly Reardon, 21, hooker Merthyr Tydfil's Molly Reardon has been playing rugby since she was just five, turning out alongside her brother before women's rugby came calling at Nelson King, she switched codes and played rugby league for Wales which heightened her physicality and game a scrum-half, Reardon made the switch to hooker while studying at Cardiff Met and has never looked senior debut came in the 2024 Six Nations game against England and with Kelsey Jones succumbing to a season-ending injury, Reardon took her opportunity with both hands, earning eight caps to date.A mobile front-rower and accurate at the lineout, Reardon can look forward to becoming a regular try-scorer off the back of Wales' most potent weapon - the driving lineout. Just ask Carys Phillips.
