Kavanagh, who now plays for Caernarfon, RGC and Wales, has always been a sporting talent – representing North Wales age grade sides at football for a number of years and hockey.
But it was down to her local club setting up a rugby team and the eagerness of her friends to join the club that got Kavanagh hooked and gave her a desire to go all the way.
“I loved my time at Bro Ffestiniog. All my friends wanted to join so it was finally something I could do with them. We had a great coach in Dyl ‘Bwtch’, he put a lot of time and effort into helping us and being part of that gave me a new goal after I’d stopped playing football.”
Dyl Bwtch – real name Dylan Thomas – has since sadly since passed away to cancer, but Clwb Rygbi Bro Ffestiniog has started an award in his name and last year Jess won the award. “It was a great feeling to win the award. Thinking back, if Dyl hadn’t given his time to us every week, I probably wouldn’t be playing for Wales today.’
The rest as they say is history. Jess had to change clubs, first to Dolgellau and then Caernarfon to continue playing before she was picked up by the Scarlets and went on to win a Wales U20 cap. That wasn’t enough though, a senior cap was the holy grail. This came when she came on in the 68th minute of Wales’ Six Nations game in Italy two seasons ago.
“Those 12 minutes meant the world to me,” picked up Kavanagh. “I’d been in and out of the sevens set-up which I also love but ultimately that was everything I’d been working towards. And you don’t want to stop there, you want to keep working hard to keep earning that place in the starting XV.”
Kavanagh made her first start of the Six Nations against England, and scored the first try in three matches against the old enemy. She starts again against Scotland in Glasgow on Friday evening.
“It’s good to be back”, she quipped. “The shirt doesn’t belong to you so when you get a chance to wear it, you don’t know when you’ll wear it again so you do everything you can to show what you can do and have a chance to be in the starting line-up again.”
“When I was younger, being part of the North Wales and Wales football set-ups was fantastic but the travel was very demanding on us as a family, particularly as my parents didn’t drive.
“I still have a lot of driving to do, but at least I’m not relying on anyone else and ultimately, if you really want something, you’ll do whatever it takes to reach your goal.”
Jess is also grateful to the development in North Wales meaning less travelling for girls in North Wales.
“Having the clusters (Female Hubs) and the regional set-up in North Wales has made such a difference to the opportunities for girls in North Wales,” added Kavanagh. “They can see there’s a pathway to better themselves as players and that means a lot to them.”
The 16-times capped wing is now herself providing opportunities to the young people of Gwynedd through her role as sports development officer for Byw’n Iach Gwynedd – Gwynedd Healthy Lifestyles.
“Our aim is to provide a range of choices and activities for young people to get involved with. I work with the WRU and all the other governing bodies too such as the FAW, Golf Wales, Canoe Wales and other groups. Whatever sport you’re playing, you’re gaining skills and friendships for life.”
