Shanelle Williams has already fulfilled one childhood ambition after making her Wales debut and now she is getting ready for one more milestone in Japan.
The 19-year-old former Gwernyfed RFC junior got here off the bench in a within the WXV World Sequence in September.
As a baby, Williams had written on her Christmas record that she needed to play for Wales.
"I didn't truly know that there was a girls's staff," the hooker stated.
"I used to inform my dad that I used to be going to play for Wales with the boys.
"Then I clearly realised that I truly can play for Wales. Since then, every thing I've executed, rugby's at all times been a precedence."
Williams had forgotten in regards to the Christmas record till her older sister reminded her after she received her first Wales Below-18 cap.
"It's fairly a pleasant reminder that I’ve been working for this for therefore lengthy, so it has all been value it," she stated.
Williams began enjoying rugby at Gwernyfed aged eight, spending 4 years there earlier than becoming a member of the Pink Kites and later shifting into the Wales pathway.
She went on to play for Cardiff Quins and Cardiff Rugby earlier than attending Hartpury School.
Her father performed a key position, usually making the journey from house to Cardiff for coaching.
"Clearly I'm from Gwernyfed, so it was about an hour and a half right down to Cardiff," she stated.
"He used to take me for coaching on Friday nights straight after faculty.
"I wouldn't have been capable of do it if my dad hadn't given me that chance, so I'm very fortunate."
Wales debut a 'surreal feeling'
Williams' household and associates have been within the stands to look at her make her Wales debut at Cardiff Arms Park.
"They'll come to each single sport that they’ll," she stated.
"It's so good to have the ability to have that help on the sideline. I can at all times hear them over everybody else within the crowd."
Williams says the fact of turning into a senior Wales worldwide solely actually sank in as soon as she stepped onto the pitch.
"It didn't really feel actual it till I used to be truly on the pitch," she stated.
"It was fairly good to have the ability to come onto the pitch with Elan (Jones) as properly, as a result of we've executed [Wales] Below-18s collectively, we've executed Below-20s collectively.
"With the ability to share that along with her was very nice as properly. Then coming to my household afterwards, it was a surreal feeling, to be trustworthy."
Wales put together for Japan
The Brython Thunder hooker has been inclued in a 30-player squad for 2 Exams towards Japan which is able to full Wales' WXV World Sequence marketing campaign for 2026.
The primary Check takes place at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday, 24 October at 10:30 BST, with the second at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium in Saitama seven days later at 07:00 GMT.
Williams admits the senior worldwide surroundings has been a big step up.
"I'd heard loads from my associates – 'It’s a step up, it’s a step up'," she stated.
"I feel that really ready me fairly properly to grasp that it's not simply going into one other pathway camp.
"There's much more competitors and in addition understanding that there are nonetheless individuals behind you chasing in your place as properly. I feel that pushes you much more.
"So yeah, it's positively been a step up, however I've been having fun with it."
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'It's the longest flight I've ever been on'
Japan can even present Williams with a brand new expertise off the pitch.
"It's the longest flight I've ever been on," she stated.
"I've solely ever been to Italy, I feel that's the furthest I've been – two hours. So I'm undecided how that's going to go."
However she is decided to profit from her alternative towards a Japan facet ranked twelfth on the planet, one place beneath Wales.
"Typically, as a result of they're not within the Six Nations and stuff, they could be a little bit neglected," she stated.
"They’re a superb staff, so it's simply ensuring we keep on prime of our course of.
"We've executed loads over pre-season on being an 80-minute staff, so I feel sticking to that ought to assist us."
Williams has already achieved the dream she wrote down as a baby. Now she desires so as to add to her Wales cap tally.
"I've at all times regarded as much as ladies like Kelsey Jones, Molly Reardon and Carys Phillips when she was within the squad," she stated.
"They've at all times been position fashions to me, so having the ability to practice alongside them and get suggestions from them as properly is actually useful to me.
"Positively, I need to add to that tally."
