Llangwm players need Natalie to tend their bumps and bruises

Natalie Price is a chartered physiotherapist who works at Withybush Hospital and her involvement in Pembrokeshire Sport began when she moved to the county from Shropshire and took up home in Llangwm, where her expertise was quickly appreciated by the village rugby team.
She has been involved there for almost two years now and this season has seen her being even busier on the rugby front since she now is the physiotherapist for both the Pembrokeshire under 16 and under 18 squads, where she works alongside Kim Norkett as the District H director of coaching.

Interesting start

Natalie chuckles when she tells of her start at Llangwm, which she feels is typical of the club’s no-nonsense approach to the game:
“Hannah Bevan had been the previous physio at the club and she knew that I liked rugby so suggested I might like to follow her into the role. I went to the clubhouse at lunch time on a Saturday thinking I was going to discuss the matter with Simon Brick, who was the team manager, and when I walked in through the door all the players were there in readiness for a game at St Clears. ‘Listen boys’, said Simon, ‘this is our new physio Natalie, she’s with us from today!’
“And that was that. I was the physiotherapist for Llangwm and I’ve been there ever since! I’ve lived in the village for six years now and I must admit that it is nice to be part of the community since there are lots of supporters, players and wives who stop for a chat when I’m out and about.”

Other sports and a love of Pembrokeshire

Natalie played hockey back in Shropshire and her school was recognised as a school of sporting excellence where she enjoyed the rugby as a supporter, despite the fact that her family were more involved in football. She is also a keen body-boarder, using the good surf during the summer months at Newgale and Druidston, preferring that to traditional surfing since she doesn’t have to stand up and keep her balance!
She came to Wales with her job, after qualifying as a chartered physiotherapist, and fell in love with Pembrokeshire and although she really enjoys being involved with the rugby readily admits that it is a huge responsibility which took her half a season to stop feeling scared during the matches – and even today breathes a sigh of relief when the match is all over.

Worst moments

“The worst is when a scrum collapses or a player stays down longer than expected after a tackle,” says Natalie, “because there is always the thought that it might be a neck or spinal injury. A badly broken wrist was the worst I have had to deal with, although the young player was on the opposing side. I heard the snap and then his scream of pain so I rushed on and made sure that he had feeling in the arm, that the injury was well supported in a sling before his dad took him off to hospital and he was eventually OK. But it looked so awful that it made me feel sick and I was pleased that I was able to do what was needed despite my own feelings.”

Busy match days

Match days are very busy because Natalie aims to get to the ground about an hour before kick-off – and although she knows quite a few villages where rugby is played in West Wales she has been lost a few times but just looks out for floodlights or goalposts, or simply asks for directions. The players now accept her in the changing room and her first job is to assess injuries received in midweek training to see if a player is fit to play, then she gives warm-up massages on calves and hamstrings, usually to the older players, then tapes up dodgy fingers, thumbs or knees.
When the players warm-up she collects all the spare tape and bandages lying around and makes sure that she has all the paraphernalia in her bag that she could need on the pitch during the game and ensures there is plenty of Vaseline and Vick to keep the players happy before they go onto the pitch to play.
“The Llangwm lads are very good and although I wouldn’t dream of trying to keep up with them after a game in terms of drinking they are appreciative of what I do.”

District involvement

Her involvement with the district teams brought about a real treat when she joined them on their tour to Florida, where there were two matches, some nice sun and socialising, including a visit to Bush Gardens, a theme park where there is the world’s tallest drop ride which she had a go on and enjoyed.
Her treatment of younger players is inevitably different from her approach at Llangwm and for the under 16 team the physio work is done with a parent present in a separate room, which is a standard protocol for youngsters. Like the Wasps’ players, the youth players seem to appreciate what she does for them and Kim Norkett says,
“Natalie has been brilliant with her work for us. Her professionalism is very evident and we are very lucky to have someone who is a chartered physiotherapist as part of our off-field team Long may she continue to be involved with us.” Attend a match involving Llangwm or the district teams and it is easy to see how skilful and assured Natalie Price is – and Pembrokeshiresport.co.uk joins Kim and the Llangwm players in saying well done and long may she continue to bring her expertise and charming manner to rugby matches.