Four Sisters from One Welsh Club Make Rugby World Cup History
A remarkable achievement in North Wales has seen four sisters from the same small rugby club being selected in the Wales squad for the 2025 Rugby World Cup – a feat that demonstrates the power of National Lottery investment in grassroots women's sport.
Ceirw Nant Rugby Club in Llanrwst has established itself as an unprecedented production line for Welsh women's international talent, with sisters Gwenllian and Alaw Pyrs joining Nel and Branwen Metcalfe in Wales' World Cup squad.
National Lottery Investment Creates Champions
The club's transformation from having just a handful of female participants to nurturing international stars demonstrates the impact of strategic National Lottery investment in grassroots women's rugby through Sport Wales. The club received £1,414 in National Lottery funding to help develop girls' teams from U8 through to U18, creating the infrastructure and pathways that enabled this remarkable success.
"The National Lottery funding in Wales is helping people achieve their goals and dreams," says Nel Metcalfe, who made her Wales debut in 2023 and scored two tries in Wales's recent victory over Australia.
Two Sets of Sisters Make History
Gwenllian Pyrs, 27, with more than 40 caps for Wales, paved the way for younger sister Alaw, 19, who made her Wales debut last year. Both now play for top English club Gloucester-Hartpury.
Nel Metcalfe is joined in the World Cup squad by her 18-year-old sister Branwen, who captained Wales at Under-20 level. "I'm lost for words," said Branwen about her selection. "Everything that's happened in the past year has been a whirlwind."
Nel couldn't be prouder: "The family is buzzing. I've seen how hard she has worked, she deserves this."
Wales is no stranger to rugby siblings, but two sets of sisters in a World Cup squad from the same grassroots club is truly remarkable.
Production Line of Excellence
The club's success extends far beyond the sisters. Dyddgu Hywel achieved 31 caps for Wales, while Erin Jones, Elan Pyrs Jones and Cara Wyn have all represented Wales at youth level. Five players with Ceirw Nant connections feature in the Celtic Challenge, Wales's semi-professional women's competition.
"The success of the girls from Nant Conwy is outstanding," says Tudur Roberts, Hub Lead at Ceirw Nant. "The hub is constantly producing girls who are gaining Welsh caps."
Grassroots Investment Creates Pathways
The club's transformation from having just a handful of female participants to nurturing international stars demonstrates the impact of strategic investment in grassroots women's rugby. National Lottery funding helped the club develop girls' teams from U8 through to U18, creating the infrastructure and pathways that enabled this remarkable success.
"The National Lottery funding in Wales is helping people achieve their goals and dreams," says Nel Metcalfe, who made her Wales debut in 2023 and scored two tries in Wales's recent victory over Australia.
Community at the Heart
The deep connection between players and their grassroots club remains strong. "It's not just a club, it's the whole community," says Nel. "Growing up we were probably there every day," adds Branwen.
Club chairman Marc Jones celebrates their success with "heartfelt sincerity": "Their achievements are down to their total dedication and commitment, intrinsically linked to our whole club ethos."
Game-Changing Impact
Wales kicked off their World Cup campaign against Scotland on 23 August, with multiple Ceirw Nant graduates representing their country. Their success exemplifies how strategic investment in grassroots women's rugby creates production lines of excellence that supply international talent for generations.
Over three decades, the National Lottery has invested over £6 billion into grassroots sport across 90,000+ projects throughout the UK through organisations like Sport Wales, with stories like Ceirw Nant proving the transformative power of supporting community clubs.
