Powell packed with potential

The unassuming 21-year-old was capped by Wales this season following a steady but impressive rise to the international scene after being introduced to the game by an encouraging headteacher and rugby coach – Mr Emmanuel of Llantrisant Primary School.

“Once Mr Emmanuel and other encouraging teachers at primary school showed some belief in my sporting abilities, I knew I just wanted to play for Wales. I’m very grateful to those teachers for giving me that first taste and I soon knew that sport was where my future lay.

“I played rugby for the school and Llantrisant mixed teams before moving to Pencoed girls’ team aged 12. But I also played cricket and football to county level and rounders for Wales.

“It wasn’t until I got into the Wales U18 Sevens squad that I had to make a choice. Rugby was the winner and I haven’t really looked back since.

“We had a strong U18 Sevens squad with Manon Johnes, Beth Lewis and Lleucu George involved – we won silver at the UK Schools Games in 2018 and bronze at the Youth Commonwealth Games in the Bahamas which were pretty amazing experiences and we also did well at the U18 Rugby Europe Sevens.

“From there I was selected in the senior Wales Sevens squad for the World Series qualifier in Hong Kong, the Paris leg of the World Series and the Commonwealth Games on Gold Coast. I was also part of the Samurai team that won the invitational tournament at the Dubai Sevens.

RE:LIVE: Kayleigh Powell scores Wales’ first ever try on the women’s world series! pic.twitter.com/qAnGiVqICI

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) June 8, 2018

“It was a pretty special year to be honest. I was at the end of a great move from Alisha Butchers and Hannah Jones to score the first Wales try in the World Series in Paris and to be part of the Commonwealth Games in Australia was unreal. Not just the playing side of it but also mixing with other athletes in the village and sharing a canteen with the likes of Tom Daley!

“I got injured soon after that playing my first senior game for the Ospreys and was out for a year so to be selected in the squad for the recent autumn series gave me a huge boost to my confidence.

“My parents came to Dublin to watch my first game in a senior Wales jersey which was unforgettable. They have been so supportive over the years. They aren’t from a sporty background but as soon as they realised it was something I wanted to do they were behind me the whole way, taking me everywhere and I even nagged my dad to help me practice.

“I played 15 that day and was very nervous as I’d previously played more rugby at outside-half but I grew into the game and see myself as a full-back or 12 going forward.

“To go on and play in the Six Nations was another huge step for me in my development and a big learning curve but it just showed me what I need to do to keep improving as a player.

“I’m quite a competitive person and I like to keep challenging myself to keep adding new strings to my bow and achieving new goals.

“I’m using this period to work on my fitness, skills and make some gains so that I can hit the ground running when rugby resumes. I’d love to be in with a shout of inclusion in Team GB for the Olympics – I didn’t have much of a chance to show the coaches what I am capable of last season but maybe things will be different next season.”

Wales Women Sevens lead Ollie Phillips believes Powell is one of the most exciting prospects in Welsh rugby at the moment.

“Her rise up the ranks to be one of the first names on the team sheet during the Six Nations campaign is a credit to her and all of the hard-work that she has put in to date. She has an air of calm on the ball and makes good decisions off of it.
“She is fearless in the tackle and punches well above her weight in the contact zone, which is why she is such an exciting prospect for us in the sevens environment.

“As for every player it is always about maximising your own potential and with Kayleigh, what is most encouraging, is that we have barely scratched the surface. She still has so much more to offer to so many areas of her game that she can continue to evolve and improve, which, at 21, makes her one to watch out for once we are back on a rugby field.”

Away from playing the game, Powell is employed by Ospreys in the Community/WRU partnership as a hub officer at Llangatwg School near Neath – delivering rugby to pupils throughout the school.

“Having come through the WRU apprenticeship scheme, I knew what was required of hub officers having shadowed them during the apprenticeship.

“I work within an awesome team at Ospreys in the Community. I’m still growing into my role and know that I can always ask for support whenever I need it.

“One of my biggest achievements to date was to see pupils on our TACL scheme run their own rugby festival for younger pupils. That was very satisfying as they had developed leadership skills and confidence which shows what rugby can do.”

One thing is for sure – Kayleigh will continue to put everything into achieving her goals whether on or off the field.

Kayleigh Powell working hard at her day job at the Ospreys Region Disability Six Nations