Women's Six Nations 2023: 'We understand how much we are inspiring' - Sioned Harries overwhelmed by Wales team
BySportsbeat
Updated 31/03/2023 at 15:11 GMT
Wales star Sioned Harries has seen game transformed over more than a decade at the top and says her team understand how much they are inspiring everyone. Last weekend, ,5,000 packed into the Cardiff Arms Park for Wales' Women's Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday. Harries is overwhelmed by how much the sport has changed over the past decade.
Brittany Hogan of Ireland is tackled by Sioned Harries of Wales during the TikTok Women's Six Nations Rugby Championship match between Wales and Ireland at Cardiff Arms Park in Cardiff, Wales
Image credit: Getty Images
When Sioned Harries started playing rugby for Wales Women, it came as a surprise if anyone beyond friends and family showed up in the crowd.
So when nearly 5,000 packed into the Cardiff Arms Park for the Women's Six Nations opener against Ireland on Saturday, Harries admits it had to be seen to be believed.
At 33 years old, she is one of the most experienced members of the squad, having made her debut back in 2010.
After being named in the starting line-up for this weekend's trip to Scotland, Harries is still quite overwhelmed by how much the sport has changed over the past decade.
"As a squad, we are aware of the interest but we arena at getting carried away with it," she said. "We understand how much we are inspiring. It's often said that you are inspiring the next generation but you don't believe it until you actually see it.
"I think with the support we are having and the investment, the record crowd at the Arms Park and the way the kids and the parents ran onto the pitch afterwards, it's starting to become a reality for us where we can actually see it. To see the outcome is actually quite special, it's quite overwhelming for a lot of us.
"When I started, there was barely any advertisement, there was not much media interest. There wasn't that platform with regards to promoting the game. The people on the side were family and friends. To see the way it has grown is quite special.
"A lot has changed. Having been part of that change and seeing how it has developed and evolved, one of the main feelings I have is gratitude. It's such a good time to be playing rugby for Wales women.
"It doesn't matter how long I've been here, I'm still learning. It's one of the best environments I've been a part of and that is not a coincidence or an accident. A lot of time and investment has gone in to get us to where we are now. If this is how it's going to be going forwards, I can only get excited by how good it’s going to get."
The past 18 months have seen the game transformed in Wales, with the introduction of 12 professional contracts ahead of last year's TikTok Women's Six Nations, a number that was increased to 25 this year.
Harries is not one of those on a contract, although she was offered one. In the end, it was not really feasible with her commitments as a schoolteacher.
Instead, she has had to balance her teaching demands with training alongside the professional members of the Welsh squad, paying tribute to her school Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Dur for how accommodating they have been of her rugby obligations, especially during last year's World Cup in New Zealand.
"Previously, I knew no different than to play rugby and to work," she explained. "You would work in the day and train in the evening and play at the weekends. Now it is different, there are much higher expectations.
"Even last year, we were still training in the evenings because we only had 12 contracted players. This year is the year I have found most challenging because there are 25 contracts which mean you can train with a full squad on a daily basis, so the hours have changed.
"But for me, it's about having that communication between school and union and I'm really fortunate in the way that both are very supportive. At the moment, I'm making it work and at the end of the campaign, we'll have to see what the next step is.
"When I was offered the contract, it wasn't the right time to leave teaching. The timings didn't really work out. If I was to be offered one again and I was fortunate enough then it would be another conversation.
"I can't overstate how supportive the school have been. I would never have been able to succeed at the World Cup if it hadn't been for the school."
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