Meg Jones, a Wales-born Red Roses captain, reflects on her under-12 trial where she was the only girl—later selected despite her working-class roots. She transitioned to England rugby, debuted at 18, and won a World Cup, now leading England against Wales. Zoe Stratford’s departure freed her for the role, blending her Welsh heritage with England allegiance.

Her Cardiff roots run deep: Gwennan Harries, her former teacher, recalls her leading the boys’ team. Jones faced mixed-gender rules as a teen but excelled in school sports, winning hockey nationals. She proudly supports Wales while celebrating her Welsh identity, inspiring pupils and mentoring current pupil Megan Jones, who plays for Wales.

Jones, a World Cup winner and World Player of the Year nominee, fights for England while honoring her Welsh roots. She conducts coaching sessions at her old school, where mixed-gender rugby teams now exist. Harries hopes the two Joneses will face off, citing Jones’s pride in her heritage and dual loyalty as a unifying force for women’s rugby.