Natalia John

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Natalia John
Date of birth (1996-02-15) 15 February 1996 (age 25)
Place of birthPontypridd, Wales
Height1.75 m (5.7 ft)
Weight90 kg (14 st)
SchoolYsgol Gyfun Gwyr
UniversitySwansea University
Occupation(s)Physics teacher, rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Second row
Current team Bristol Bears
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2020-present Bristol Bears
Ospreys
Swansea RFC		 ()
National team(s)
Years Team Apps (Points)
2018–present Wales
Correct as of 06 May 2021

Natalia John (born 15 February 1996) is a Welsh Rugby Union player who plays second row for the Wales women's national rugby union team and Bristol Bears. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2018 and represented them at the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.

Club career[]

John began playing rugby in 2014 while studying at Swansea University. She first played with her local team, Bonymaen, before signing with premiership team Swansea RFC in 2016.[1] In 2017 John was selected to play for the Ospreys, where her impressive performance led to a call-up to Wales' autumn series training squad later that year.[2] She signed with her current club, Bristol Bears, in 2020.[3]

International career[]

Following her call-up to the training squad in 2017, John was selected for the 2018 Women's Six Nations Championship team, where she made her international debut against Scotland.[4] She has since represented the Wales women's team at each subsequent Six Nations Championship.

In 2019, she was part of the first Welsh side to face British invitational rugby union club Barbarians FC, at a Principality Stadium double-header in Cardiff.[5]

John has earned 19 caps so far in her rugby career.[4]

Personal life[]

John attended Welsh language secondary school Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr before later studying materials engineering at Swansea University, where she graduated with a degree in 2017.[6]

She was the second in her family to face the Barbarians wearing a number 4 shirt. Her father, Gareth John, played for Penarth in the final Good Friday fixture against the invitational side in March 1986.[5]

John now balances her rugby career with her role as a secondary school physics teacher.[5]

References[]

  1. ^ "Natalia John". Moonrise. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  2. ^ Griffiths, Rob (2017-10-18). "Four North Walians called into Wales Womens training squad". North Wales Live. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  3. ^ "Natalia John joins Bristol Bears Women". Bristol Bears. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  4. ^ a b "Natalia John". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  5. ^ a b c "Natalia proud to follow in father's footsteps - Welsh Rugby Union". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2021-05-06.
  6. ^ "Swansea University students past and present to fly the flag for Wales in Six Nations". www-2018.swansea.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-05-06.

External links[]

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