Nothing has the same excitement, the same pace, requires you to makedecisions under pressure, or more all-round skills.” In the women’s game, she is likened to Jeremy Guscott. Fast and flamboyant, she has played everywhere from full-back to flanker for her club, Wasps.She works one day a week, teaching PE and A-level psychology at a Middlesex school and has an American father, Scottish mother and was born in Wales. A maternal grandmother gives her qualification for England, so there is no question over eligibility. Like most, she was converted to the sport “as a bit of a dare” at university That was 11 years ago Now she is about to collect her 40th England cap. “If someone asked me whether there’s anything I would like to change in my life, I couldn’t think of anything. It may sound strange, but when I play rugby, I’m living my dream.”.

The wagons were circled around the latest home of the Welsh Rugby Union in Cardiff last week. The scenes were reminiscent of many other sieges from the Eighties and Nineties when the most publicly scrutinised, and so often vilified, body in Wales once again found itself cast in the role of villain. The wagons were circled around the latest home of the Welsh Rugby Union in Cardiff last week. The scenes were reminiscent of many other sieges from the Eighties and Nineties when the most publicly scrutinised, and so often vilified, body in Wales once again found itself cast in the role of villain.
There is nothing quite like a good or bad rugby story to set the pulses racing in the Principality.

Rugby and gossip are key ingredients in the staple diet of life in Wales, and when the two can be combined, especially with the WRU to aim at, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Life at the WRU is an ongoing soap opera which often attracts as much attention as Coronation Street or EastEnders. You only have to look at the increase in radio and TV chat shows and readers’ letters in the regional press to realise that rugby rules in Wales.”We all know that Welsh rugby lives constantly in the spotlight. I guess it has been like that ever since 1881 when the union was formed,” the secretary, Dennis Gethin, said.

“The events of recent weeks have been rather dramatic and, in some cases, alarming. They have brought into question not only the internal workings and integrity of the union, but also the character of thenation as a whole.”We do tend to get very emotive about all matters of rugby in Wales and that often makes life difficult. What a lot ofpeople often forget is that we are not running a pastime, but a multi-million-pound company.”When your practices and reputation as a company are undermined you have to be very careful and measured in your response. Knee-jerkreaction to criticism, fair or otherwise, has never been the style of the WRU, and in all that has been going on over the past weeks our major concern has been to respond to the International Board’s requests for information and explanation.”The frenzy that has surrounded the eligibility row, and the resignation of Steve Black, has been trying and hard to handle. What it hasn’t done, however, is divert the focus of the WRU from continuing to look after the best interests of Wales’ national sport. We are determined to build our business into one of the most competitive in its field.”The recent dramas began two weeks ago with the “Grannygate” affair, questioning the eligibility of Kiwi imports Brett Sinkinson and Shane Howarth. All of a sudden the hunt for blameworthy targets escalated into open season on anyone wearing a WRU blazer badge.