Having amassed 87 caps for Wales Women, ‘Bird’ retired at the end of the 2006-2007 season having played in the twentieth anniversary of the match against Wales Women’s oldest rivals, England Women, in the Women’s Six Nations. Though the boots may have been hung up, Burgess is still actively involved within women’s rugby as an attached forwards coach to the senior squad, so is able to impart the wealth of wisdom and experience gained on the playing field to the women representing Wales in the country’s national sport. Looking ahead to Wales Women’s second home match of the 2008 Six Nations, Burgess stresses the importance of home advantage, and how vital it is to get a second win of the championship.
“It’s a big bonus having two games at home, and especially two on the trot,” states Burgess, looking ahead to the clash with the Azzurri following the 23-6 defeat of Scotland Women two weeks ago. “It helps the players a lot as we’re all so used to everything at Taffs Well now.”
This is the second season that Maes Gwyn has been the official home to Wales Women. Burgess though is quick to stress that nothing is taken for granted in international Women’s rugby, stating: “We need another win under our belt but every international is a hard game, and Italy will be no easier. We don’t know too much about Italy this season, other than the fact they were defeated heavily by England. We always aim to achieve a victory at all of our home games, and if we defeat Italy it’ll stand us in good stead for a tricky away journey to face Ireland.”
Burgess, who will travel with the squad for the trip to St Mary’s RFC in Dublin at the beginning of March, believes that the blend of youth and experience within the squad she is helping to coach is the perfect combination required for further development and success: “The balance between the young and the experienced makes for a healthy squad; the competition for places is strong, which is encouraging. The senior players have an air of calmness towards their game which can only benefit the more inexperienced players, and raise their expectations of what is required to succeed at this level of the game.”
Burgess adds: “One of the most important things is the mix between the experienced and inexperienced, to ensure that the youth continues to come through whilst being able to gain from the valuable knowledge of the senior players.”
Despite the opening round defeat to England Women at Sunbury-on-Thames at the start of February, Burgess is hopeful that the team can gain a better placing than the third achieved last season: “If we continue to build as we’ve done following the victory over Scotland, then I’m confident of a successful tournament. We’re definitely looking to finish second this season, and if we keep on developing like we are, that’s an achievable goal.”
Though Burgess retired from the international playing scene at the close of last season, she continues to play at club level with Clifton Ladies in the English Premiership: “I still play in the Premiership and still enjoy playing the game but I couldn’t uphold the standards required at a national level.”
Burgess, though, seems to have made an easy transition from player to attached forwards coach with the national squad, but believes the job behind the touchline is more demanding than the one on the field of play.
“Coaching definitely involves a lot more work compared to playing at international level,” comments Burgess. “As a coach you don’t switch off at all. As a player, you can mentally and physically prepare yourself for the upcoming game and your opponents but being left on the sideline has been exasperating at times for me, which has been extremely difficult.”
Burgess explains how working with Wales Women Head Coach Jason Lewis and Assistant Coach Aled Thomas has been of huge benefit to her own coaching development this season.
“I’ve been extremely lucky to have the opportunity to work with Jason and Aled. It’s a severe learning curve, and exhausting at times,” she jokes. “But I’m really enjoying the challenge of coaching so far.”
