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Wales captain Hannah Jones feeling the benefits of full-time contracts

By PA
Hannah Jones of Wales poses for a photograph during the 2023 TikTok Women's Six Nations Media Launch at Studio Spaces on March 15, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Wales captain Hannah Jones has already witnessed an enormous improvement in her side as a result of the professional contracts issued to players for the first time last year.

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The initial swoop of signings, which took effect in January 2022, saw 12 Welsh women receive full-time deals while another 17 later joined on six-month contracts ahead of last autumn’s World Cup.

The Welsh Rugby Union in March announced 25 players would be on full-time contracts for 2023, a move the skipper believes will be monumental in shifting her squad’s mentality.

Jones told the PA news agency: “Prior to the contracts girls were working full-time, in university full-time, trying to juggle work and a professional lifestyle as an athlete. And you’re really not giving your all to that athlete.

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“(Before) you had to be super organised. I’ve got this at this point, this at this point, making sure that you’re fitting everything in, with your diet, your nutrition, it’s so much better now, and I’m very grateful for it.

“I’ve definitely seen a change since I’ve been able to have that full-time contract and solely focus on rugby, in physical changes, mental changes, it’s just huge for the group and we’ll keep working on that.”

Wales are carrying a spotless 2023 Six Nations record so far, beating Ireland 31-5 before grinding out a 34-22 victory over Scotland in round two. On Saturday they will face the biggest test of their transformed side against four-time defending champions England.

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The Cardiff Arms Park encounter is sold-out and poised to set a record for a Wales women’s home match with over 8,000 tickets snapped up, almost double the 4,962 who turned up for their Ireland opener – itself a record-setter.

Jones, 26, who alongside many of her Wales team-mates plays her club rugby with second-placed, title-chasing Allianz Premier 15s side Gloucester-Hartpury, said: “Even with the crowd against Ireland it was pretty loud and encouraging, so to have double the amount now is crazy. Hopefully we enjoy that and we thrive off that vibe around the stadium.”

Wales will need the support as they look to upset the Red Roses, who travel to the Welsh capital following decisive victories over Scotland and Italy. England are eyeing up a fourth consecutive Grand Slam after the pandemic prevented it from being contested in 2021.

It was that Covid-tinged tournament that initially forced the women’s competition to be played in a separate window several weeks after the men’s, but the move proved so popular it became a deliberate decision to do the same in 2022, when the women’s Championship also took on a title sponsor, TikTok, for the first time.

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“I’ve been in the squad for about eight years now and every year just gets bigger and bigger,” said Jones.

“You get noticed a little more when you’re just going shopping and stuff like that. Obviously we’ve been shown on the TV a bit more, media has definitely improved, so girls can definitely look up to us and want to be rugby players for their careers now, which is brilliant.”

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R
RedWarrior 20 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

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G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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