‘This is my journey, it’s no-one else’s.’ says Meg Jones firmly.
The Welsh-born rugby star is part of the Red Roses squad deployed to the 2024 Women’s Six Nations. In the opening weekend of the tournament, England cemented a monumental victory over Italy in Parma.
Meg is used to taking hard knocks on the pitch and, off it, has had to build up a similarly thick skin.
‘I’ve been called “lesbian” by people who put a negative connotation on the word,’ Meg, 27, tells Metro. ‘It’s quite funny because I am a lesbian, and of course that’s not a bad thing, so I don’t let it bother me.
‘There’s still people who think we shouldn’t be playing rugby because it’s a “man’s sport.” For me, I see beyond it, I look away. I think “this is my journey, it’s no-one else’s.” I invest my own time into what I want to do. So if you have something negative to say, just don’t say it.’
Meg, who came out as gay to her friends aged 16 and to her family at 18, is in a relationship with fellow rugby star and ‘soulmate’ Celia Quansah.
The pair met through Celia’s friends at Loughborough University and went on to represent Great Britain together in rugby 7s at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Beating the USA as underdogs in the quarterfinals – ‘ the bookies wouldn’t have put a penny on us winning’ – remains her proudest moment.
‘Rugby has allowed me to express myself in so many ways’, Meg continues. ‘I’m openly gay, and it’s important for my girlfriend to be vocal about our relationship. No-one should feel guilty for who they are, how they feel or who they love.’
Meg, echoing comments made by Red Roses captain Marlie Packer, adds that her sexuality has never impacted her rugby journey.
Her playing career started in Ely, a close knit working class community on the outskirts of Cardiff, Wales. There, she played for the Glamorgan Wanderers under 12s boys team and swiftly became accustomed to standing out.
‘I started playing when I was about six’, Meg says. ‘I was always different, always boisterous. I wasn’t your stereotypical good little girl. My mum had to persuade my dad to take me to play rugby. She said something like “you’re taking Sam down [Meg’s brother] so take her as well.
‘That first training session, my dad saw my talent for the sport and my enjoyment for it.
‘Rugby has given me so much since then. I was lucky that the people I played with respected me. It was never about the fact I was a girl or what I looked like, I was good at rugby and that was all that mattered.’
When she turned 16 Meg, whose mum is English and dad Welsh, had to choose which national team would be her future. She was offered the chance to play and study at Hartpury College in Gloucestershire and said yes, paving the way for a future in English rugby.
‘It felt like the natural route’, Meg muses. ‘The opportunities that came with that decision were remarkable in the end and, at that time, probably accelerated my career faster than if I’d stayed in Wales.’
Meg made her rugby 7s debut for England in July 2015, playing against New Zealand in the Rugby Super Series that year. Since then, she’s taken on Six Nations and World Cups with the Red Roses.
On the pitch, the 27-year-old is a natural leader and a force to be reckoned with. But she also finds it important to find the fun amid the pressure.
‘I’ve got some good jokes, ‘ Meg smiles. ‘Not appropriate ones’, she laughs when asked to give examples.
‘I still remember my initiation song, I sang Justin Bieber’s Baby. It’s a classic! I’ve always been a bit of a joker. On the pitch, especially with the games televised now, it feels like I get to perform a bit. It’s a free comedy show [for the fans].
‘Something I’ve learned over the years is that I don’t need to be two separate people. I can bring my personality into rugby where appropriate, but I can also switch it off.’
Meg praises the close bond between the Red Roses, and the various personalities it boasts, for the squad’s success in recent years.
‘There’s a lot of characters on the team’, she adds. ‘I love playing with Mo Hunt [scrum-half for Gloucester-Hartpury and England], she’s quality. She has this intricate knowledge about the game and is really competitive. If she’s happy, she’ll tell you. If she’s not happy, she’ll tell you that too.
‘I’ve also learned a lot from players I’m up against, especially the Kiwis. I remember picking up bits from [New Zealand player] Kelly Brazier. I noticed little things, like the way she spoke to the ref.’
Moving forward, Meg is excited for what’s yet to come for the Red Roses and women’s rugby as a whole. But she won’t settle, not yet.
‘If you invest now, that guarantees the longevity of the sport’, she stresses. ‘We need to keep up that support.’
Megan Jones spoke to Metro thanks to RFU’s principal shirt sponsor O2. O2 and RFU, in partnership with Women’s Sport Trust, are helping close rugby’s gender awareness gap with one of its key objectives to fill Twickenham Stadium for a women’s rugby match by 2025.
Tickets for the tournament are on sale now
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