Rugby / Bristol Bears Women
Six Bristol Bears players among first to be given full-time Wales contracts
Bristol Bears players make up half of the first dozen full-time Wales Women players who have been contracted by the Welsh Rugby Union.
The 12 players have accepted 12-month contracts, with players and management based at the National Centre of Excellence in Hensol near Llantrisant.
The Bears players making rugby history are Alisha Butchers, Natalia John, Siwan Lillicrap, Kiera Bevan, Jasmine Joyce and Elinor Snowsill.
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“This is going to change our lives and Welsh women’s rugby now for the next 12 months and beyond,” said Wales captain Lillicrap, who joined Bristol Bears from Neath in 2020.
She added: “What this is going to do for Welsh rugby is massive.”
The Bears players with Welsh contracts are set to combine their time with their national team with their time at Bristol, who have their own full-time programme with England players.
Wales Women head coach Ioan Cunningham said: “It’s been a tough but enjoyable process. Credit to all the players who have given us selection headaches. We are all now super excited to get the programme started.
“Talent and ability was the first element in our selection process and then the potential growth of the individual player along with their attitude.
“The conversations offering contracts were nice ones to have if often quite emotional. Some of the players had logistic issues to work through from a personal and professional perspective but it’s great to have them at the National Centre of Excellence now as we start to put the foundations in place for improvement.
“We have developed close working relationships with the players’ Allianz Premier 15s clubs and I’m confident our programme will prove beneficial for all parties.”
Main photo: Wales RFU
Read more: Bristol24/7 Sportsperson of 2021: Simi Pam
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