Meet Hannah Jones, Wales' new Six Nations captain who counts legend and fellow Amman Valley native Shane Williams among her supporters and is eating as much as ice cream as she can get her hands on to boost her physicality.
Jones, 26, has lived and breathed the sport since first picking up a rugby ball aged six at primary school in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire, before joining a mixed team at Crynant. She even got engaged to partner and Llandovery RFC player Dino Dallavalle on a rugby pitch just minutes after a Wales match ended.
Now one of the most experienced players in Wales' squad, with 43 caps, Jones has been handed the honour of leading her side into the Women's Six Nations as squad captain as they begin a new era firmly geared towards excelling at the 2025 World Cup. Resuming the role she held on matchdays during the 2022 World Cup in New Zealand, this is the first time she has been named skipper from the outset of a campaign.
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said of the appointment: "Hannah Jones grew at the World Cup as a leader and she deserves to lead this side because she drives the standards on and off the pitch, she's first on and last off, her work ethic is outstanding and she's got this presence about her. She'll relish it."
The request was made of her while walking to a training session at Wales' Vale HQ, where 25 Wales Women players are contracted full-time by the Welsh Rugby Union this year.
"Ioan asked me walking on the way to training, it was a bit of a casual conversation, pulled to the side, he said 'would you like to captain Wales?' I was thrilled that he asked me, and proudly said yes," Jones explains. "We have all worked really hard as a group over the last few years and to have the opportunity to lead this squad is an honour."
As for her own learnings since taking over as matchday captain last autumn, Jones says: "Definitely to lead by example, setting those expectations really high and making sure I'm hitting them myself before expecting others to hit them as well."
The disarmingly down-to-earth player packs a punch on the field, loves to get her hands on the ball in midfield and is as competitive as they come. One of the historic 12 players to be awarded the first pro women's rugby contracts in Wales 14 months ago, being able to commit to rugby fully is clearly making a difference.
"I'm absolutely thrilled that my contract has continued. I've seen a big difference in my recovery. I'm feeling fresh coming to sessions. I'm having time to recover, go to the swimming pool, have recovery garments on, having time to refuel myself. I'm looking forward to building on last year's performance."
When she's not got her head in the game, Jones can often be found helping out at her fiancé's ice-cream parlour in Ammanford, Frank's Gelateria (where her favourite flavour is Kinder crunch) — with the dairy dessert coming in handy for bulking up.
"Nutrition-wise, as a squad we've lost the size of baby hippo in body fat and gained a baby bear in muscle. I'm currently trying to gain weight, so I'm eating a lot. I'm allowed to eat ice cream, actually! Now and again, I do treat myself but it's definitely helping!
"I came in quite light, I was one of the lightest centres going into the Six Nations last year, so the aim is to put on a bit of muscle, which I have, and our nutritionist George this morning compared the whole squad to baby bears and baby hippos with how much we've put on and lost compared to body weight. It's going in the right direction, I've got all the support I need here with nutrition and S&C, it's all on the up and I'm feeling fast and strong."
Jones, who first attended a women's international as a fan 13 years ago, was first called up for Wales in 2014 and made her Test debut the following year aged 18.
Her sporting heroes include Jessica Ennis-Hill, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wales rugby legend Shane Williams. Williams and Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham attended comprehensive school Ysgol Dyffryn Aman at a similar time, while Jones and Wales scrum-half Ffion Lewis were also at the same school together. There must be something in the water when it comes to rugby and this part of the Amman Valley, and Jones can always rely on Wales legend Williams for some words of wisdom when they inevitably bump into each other in Ammanford, with one Six Nations debrief taking place at the local swimming baths last year after Wales' bonus-point win over Ireland, in which Jones played an integral part by scoring a superb solo try in Dublin.
"I went to the pool in Ammanford. Shane Williams was there and it was nice to speak to him. He watched our game and he said well done on the win, so it's nice to know the men are watching as well and we are getting recognised for it. I always get a 'good luck' off Shane. He's a local boy from the Amman Valley so we bump into each other quite regularly and have a bit of a catch-up."
That win against Ireland and another at home against Scotland proved to be Wales' only victories of the 2022 tournament, but it was enough to secure a third-place table finish, their best in 13 years. This time around, Wales will be targeting at least three wins, against Ireland, Scotland and Italy, who have all followed Wales in moving to professionalism.
“We want to build on what we did last year. We finished third and that was brilliant but we know we have to keep building performances and that will then transform into results."
- Wales' opening game against Ireland on Saturday afternoon (2.15pm) has tickets priced at £10 for adults and £5 for children (under-16s) via wru.wales/W6N
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