Latest news with #WalesVenue
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
07-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Injured Fishlock misses Wales' trip to Sweden
Uefa Women's Nations League: Sweden v WalesVenue: Gamla Ullevi, Gothenburg Date: Tuesday, 8 April Kick-off: 18:00 BSTCoverage: Live on BBC Two Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentaryHighlights: S4C and iPlayer, 22:00 BST and later on demand. Wales will be without influential midfielder Jess Fishlock for Tuesday's Nations League game in cap-holder Fishlock, 38, has not travelled to Gothenberg because of all-time leading scorer came into this camp having missed her most recent club match for Seattle Reign and was an unused substitute for Friday's 2-1 home defeat by won her latest, and 160th, cap as a second-half substitute in February's 1-1 draw with Sweden at Cardiff City had started the 1-0 loss in Italy three days earlier in Wales' opening Nations League Group A4 Wilkinson's side are bottom of the four-team group with a single point from three is also without experienced players Sophie Ingle, Kayleigh Barton and Ceri Holland for Tuesday's Holland left the field on a stretcher on Friday and was taken to hospital with her right leg in a protective boot after a heavy the Football Association of Wales has since said the injury is "not as serious as first feared".
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Scotland women can fill Murrayfield one day'
Women's Six NationsScotland v WalesVenue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 22 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch on BBC Two & iPlayer, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app Scotland women's most-capped player Donna Kennedy believes the side will one day sell out home of Scottish rugby hosted its first international between Scotland and England's men's team 100 years ago on 21 March capped 115 times, was part of the first Scotland women team to play at the famous stadium, a 13-3 win over Sweden in Saturday, Scotland and Wales open their Women's Six Nations campaign at Hive Stadium, adjacent to Murrayfield."No-one wants to play in a stadium where you've got empty seats surrounding you," Kennedy told BBC Scotland."If we can get up to 30,000-40,000 then I believe one day we will fill this stadium."England have proven that with the game's that they've had in recent years. At Twickenham, they've had 60,000, nearly 70,000. We're hoping this year, at the World Cup, we'll have a sell-out for the final, so 80,000 there so, yeah, it's progressing."You can see it all across the UK with all the nations. There's a lot of growth. Anything leading up to a World Cup, you would expect to see growth after it."Scotland men and occasionally Edinburgh play at Murrayfield and the ground has also hosted football."Sometimes you try and think it's just going to be a normal game, but you're aware of the situation, you're aware you're on the Murrayfield turf but you're still out there to do a job," Kennedy explained. "You're still out there to play rugby and get the win."When I've been sitting in the stand as a fan, it's just the build-up, the theatre round about everything on match day, it's absolutely fantastic."You always dream that you want to play on the hallowed turf of Murrayfield. Amazing experience."
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'A bit of spice' – Scotland & Wales renew rivalry
Women's Six NationsScotland v WalesVenue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 22 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMTCoverage: Watch on BBC Two & iPlayer, live text commentary on the BBC Sport website & app In a Women's Six Nations in which Scotland are out to prove they are the best of the rest – behind the traditional powerhouses of England and France – there is perhaps no better place to start than a showdown with two sides have history, a rivalry built up from numerous close-run encounters in recent times."Really exciting and dramatic for the viewer," Scotland centre Lisa Thomson says of their recent tussles with Wales."You couldn't ask for a better game to kick off the championship," says Scotland forwards coach Fraser Brown. "There's been a bit of spice in these games."Tests between Scotland and Wales over the past five years paint a picture of two very evenly matched the past seven meetings between the sides, Wales have won four, Scotland of those seven matches have been decided by a score or less – two by two points, one by three points, one by five and one by average score across those matches stands at 23-21 to Scotland, though take out the most recent meeting – a 40-14 Scottish victory in last summer's international friendly – and that flips to 19-17 in Wales' favour for championship matches versus Wales always seems to throw up drama. The Scots won in Cardiff in last year's Six Nations, but only after a last-gasp Welsh conversion slipped wide when it would have snatched the hosts a agony belonged to Scotland at the 2022 World Cup when Keira Bevan kicked an 84th-minute penalty to clinch an 18-15 Welsh victory in the tournament opener in Whangarei. 'An excellent opportunity to start well' The teams once again meet in their opening match of this year's World Cup in England, giving Saturday's Six Nations fixture even more significance."There's always niggle in Scotland and Wales games, no matter what sport, whether it's a male or female sport," said former Scotland hooker Brown."There's such close proximity both in geography but also where we are as a team."We have three home games - Wales, Italy and Ireland - three teams who are close to us in the world rankings, who are close to us in ability and who are also progressing and growing with professionalism growing tournament on tournament."It's really healthy for the sport but it's great for us because it means every single time we go into a competition we get to mark ourselves against teams that are right next to us, pushing in terms of professionalism and quality."Wales at home is an excellent opportunity for us to go out and start well."Saturday at Edinburgh's Hive Stadium is a chance to strike a psychological blow before that World Cup opener on 23 August in Salford, but the Scots are focused only on delivering a strong Six Nations showing that would inevitably provide a springboard towards the global tournament this summer."We've got a good run of games, a good order of games," said Thomson, who represented GB Sevens at the Paris Olympics last year."We've got Wales up first and then away to France. We pushed France close last year [in a 15-5 loss in Edinburgh], but we know that France are a different animal at home."As a group we've talked about just focusing on this tournament. We have Wales first up in the Six Nations, Wales first up in the World Cup, but we've done that before."We're just looking forward to a good game on Saturday again."
BBC News
21-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Scotland v Wales match preview, coverage & key stats
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 Overview Scotland and Wales will renew rivalries in Edinburgh on Saturday with the added sub-plot of also meeting in their opening game of this summer's Rugby World Wales have traditionally dominated this fixture, the tables have turned in the past 12 months, with Scotland celebrating a first victory in Cardiff in 20 years in last year's Women's Six NationsThey backed that up with a convincing six-try WXV2 warm-up win in Edinburgh in September while Wales struggled to deal with off-field field impressed at the tournament in South Africa and will be going into this year's championship rightly also have cause for optimism. Last year's player contract dispute has been resolved and with three-time Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR) winner Sean Lynn in place as the new head coach, a close encounter could be back on the cards this welcomed record crowds to Hive Stadium last year and home support could well prove the difference between these well-matched sides. Scotland team news Scotland give an international debut to Hollie Cunningham who starts in the second row alongside experienced campaigner Sarah pack also features Anne Young and Elliann Clarke, who both earn a first Six Nations start in the front row, with Scotland stalwart Lana Skeldon lining up at Rachel Malcolm leads from the blindside flanker, forming a back-row with Rachel McLachlan and Evie Gallagher at number Nelson and Leia Brebner-Holden are named as the half-backs, with Lisa Thomson and Emma Orr resuming a threatening midfield Rollie starts at full-back with Rhona Lloyd and Francesca McGhie on the coach Bryan Easson has opted for a 6-2 split on the bench, with Evie Wills in line to make her first international appearance in three years while second row Adelle Ferrie could make her Scotland debut. Wales team news Wales have a blend of seasoned internationals and up and coming Celtic Challenge talent in their matchday Welsh contingent are straight back in the side after Sunday's PWR title defence, including the captain Hannah has a new midfield partner in Kayleigh Powell, who usually plays fly-half or full-back, with Lleucu George preferred at 10 alongside vice-captain Keira Bevan at Olympian Jasmine Joyce-Butchers starts at full-back, with in form Lisa Neumann and Carys Cox named on the Davies, Jenni Scoble and Alaw Pyrs all make their first Wales starts, with Davies and Scoble joining experienced hooker Carys Phillips in the front the younger sister of replacement prop Gwenllian, packs down with lock Abbie Fleming, while Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis and Georgia Evans form a familiar looking has gone for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Kelsey Jones and Pyrs set to return from injury. View from the camps Scotland head coach Bryan Easson: "They are a familiar enemy, it's always tasty and they are always close games and games that we really enjoy."Two styles that are a little bit different, it can be quite physical, it can also be a really good tactical battle as well."We know that Sean coming in is going to have a different edge with the experience he's had a Gloucester-Hartpury, with a winning team as well, a winning mentality, that will be interesting just to see how that goes."We're really looking forward to it, we've done more analysis on Gloucester-Hartpury than we have on Wales because obviously that's a potential style."We're aware of the battle that's going to come, it's been close over the last few years and we're expecting nothing else."Wales head coach Sean Lynn: "The big thing is we all care and going up to Scotland I want us to make the family proud."It will be very competitive and I know some of the players from the PWR, they're a good outfit but we are too, and that's what I'm really excited about."There is some great talent and work ethic in our players."I've got full trust in these girls and I'm very confident we can go up there and really have a go at Scotland."You look at Scotland's 10 and 12, they play a very big territorial game. They are very physical, their forward pack are very well drilled, but that's what these girls are getting really excited about, facing a good challenge." Commentator's view BBC Radio Wales commentator Nick Webb: Welsh rugby needs a pick-me-up after the lows of the men's Six Nations but new coach Sean Lynn will need to work some magic quickly, even if he does have a good reputation in creating a good working and winning environment at win in Cardiff last year, plus a big victory in the autumn WXV2 warm-up in Edinburgh, will surely see them start as front five rookies, Maisie Davies, Jennie Scoble and Alaw Pyrs, will have to hit the ground running after impressing in the Celtic Challenge, but face more of a step up in standards than their team-mates at English clubs, even if Scotland also have fresh faces in the front have been fairly forward-orientated for several years but the change in coach and the loss of main ball-carrier Sisilia Tuipulotu for the tournament through injury could lead to a shift in in all, a vital game in the battle for third place in the Six Nations before you get to the significance of the result as a marker for the two nations' World Cup meeting in Salford in August. Match facts Head-to-headWales have won 15 of their last 18 matches against Scotland in the Women's Six of the last seven Women's Six Nations matches between Scotland and Wales have been decided by margins of seven points or fewer, the exception being Wales' 34-22 win the last time they met in Edinburgh (2023).No players completed more tackles in the 2024 Women's Six Nations than Scotland's Alex Stewart or Wales' Alex Callender (74 each).ScotlandScotland have won four of their last seven matches in the Women's Six Nations (L3), as many as they'd won in their previous 63 matches in the Championship (D2 L57). Their last home win came by 26 points (36-10 v Ireland in 2023), their biggest victory in the tournament since 2003 (48-7 v Spain).Scotland both won more (25) and conceded fewer (40) turnovers than any other side in last year's WXV2 and boasted the highest tackle success rate of any team (89%).WalesWales have won three away games across their last three Women's Six Nations campaigns (L4), this after winning just three matches on the road across their previous eight campaigns (D1 L15).Wales had both the second highest ruck success rate (96.8%) and the second quickest average attacking ruck speed (3.15s) of any team in the 2024 Women's Six Nations.
