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Natalie is one to watch in Welsh Ladies’ rugby
Natalie Walsh is a very talented rugby player with the Whitland Ladies’ team and her performances on behalf of the club were acknowledged at the club’s recent annual dinner when she was awarded the trophy for the manager and coaches’ player of the year.
She currently plays as a flanker but can also slot in as a tough-tackling centre when required, using the experience she has gained for several clubs before Whitland started up and she was immediately welcomed into the fold.
Family connection with rugby
Prior to that she set out with Fishguard Ladies, which was a natural progression for her since her father Paul was a Fishguard player and they had often thrown an oval ball around in the back garden with mum Meinir, who had played hockey as a school girl and also played prop for Fishguard Ladies. The pair played together in the side for a time and there is another interesting family connection in the fact brother Gavin plays prop for the Borderers and the pair travel together for training sessions at Parc Llwyn Ty Gwyn, where Meinir is now one of the coaches. Gavin is a year younger than Natalie and the brother and sister duo played in the same junior team at Fishguard for a season.
Other sports played
Natalie has also played other sports like hockey with Fishguard Ladies under the guidance of Angela Miles after previously representing both school and Pembrokeshire at under 14 and under 16 levels.
She was also heavily involved in athletics as a 100 and 300 metres sprinter who came first or second in the county sports over a number of years – and also enjoyed the torments of cross country running as an unusual extra for a sprinter.
First sporting love
But rugby was always Natalie’s first sporting love as she used to watch dad Paul and her uncle, Lyn Harries, play for Fishguard before she joined the club’s junior section coached by her dad and Chris Mitchell, and was chosen for the county squad at under 12 and under 13 alongside Eleri Williams (Pembroke) as the only two girls selected.
It was in the county set-up that Steve Joseph switched her from centre to flanker and at under 16 level she played for the West Wales girls’ team organised by Kenny Davies and Alan Phillips, the current Fishguard men’s coach. They played, and beat, an East Wales XV and selection for the Welsh under 16s followed and Natalie is very proud of her Welsh No 7 shirt that she wore against England and at under 19 level when they beat England at Birchgrove, near Swansea, by two points.
Youngest player at Fishguard
She was the youngest player when Fishguard Ladies was founded but when they finished she had to travel to play for the likes of Lampeter and Newcastle Emlyn in her quest for a regular game. Natalie joined Whitland ladies when they began playing three years ago and were eagerly seeking recruits. Natalie Bowen became their first senior ‘cap’ as things developed well and although they have been hit a little by girls going off to college during the most recent campaign they have still done well. She won the ‘Player of the Year’ award for the second successive season and what delighted her most about winning the trophy was that team manager Sue Davies, who presented the award, said it was recognition of her hard work from the coaches.
She has managed to score tries in the season just ended at an amazing average of almost two per match – which still falls far short of one occasion when she grabbed no fewer than SIX in a friendly for Fishguard against an Irish touring team.
Future aspirations
Ask Natalie about her ambitions and she would say that in the first instance she is more than happy to keep playing for Whitland ladies, who have Sue Davies as a great team manager and with Meinir Walsh, Andy Webster and Owen Robinson working hard in their coaching roles. She has further ambitions to play for Wales, however, and knows that to succeed there she has to step up her training a little – and is already doing extra running back at home in Fishguard as mum cycles alongside to give her encouragement.
But whatever happens in the future she is more than happy with her involvement with Whitland, where she says that support for ladies’ rugby goes throughout the club.
“We really enjoy each other’s company, we play hard as a team and are very keen to do well,” says Natalie, “it’s a brilliant club and I count myself lucky to be involved.”
It seems the respect is mutual because Sue Davies says of Natalie:
“We were delighted when she joined us and are even more pleased now because she is an integral part of the set-up. We really believe she can go even further with her rugby and hope next season will see further honours.”
Pembrokeshiresport.co.uk can pay no higher compliment to Natalie Walsh and we will watch with great interest next season to see how she gets on!
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