Kayleigh Powell: 'There are opportunities we have not taken'

Cricket, football and rounders. What do they have in common? Kayleigh Powell. The Wales superstar once played those three sports alongside rugby growing up and went from one training session to the other.

Born and raised in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Powell tried several sports before choosing rugby as her sole passion, committing to the game that fully embraced her potential and talents.

However, at the time, she never thought she would have the chance to be playing in her fifth Guinness Women’s Six Nations twelve years later.

“I probably dreamt a lot about it, but I didn’t think that I would get to play in the Six Nations,” Powell told RugbyPass.

“Thankfully, my parents supported me a lot, taking me to the practice sessions of the multiple sports that I played, encouraging me to keep going and doing it.”

While she was a sports enthusiast, rugby had to wait until her 15th birthday for Powell to fully devote herself to the sport she now calls home.

“When I was young, I remember we had regionals and competitions of that kind, giving us a sense that there was a pathway to reach the top level of the sport: playing for Wales.

“So, while maybe I never believed I was going to be here, as there was a pathway, I stuck in it, and I am happy that I did so.”

Powell was never the tallest or the strongest player in the teams she played in growing up. But she had vision, pace, determination and a wide range of handling skills that could torch any incoming tackler. All of these skills she still uses to this day.

“As I’m not the biggest player, for me it’s more about trying to find holes and go through them as I don’t want to get smashed!” Powell laughed.

“One of my main skills is my feet in close proximity, as I try to make sure when I am in a one-on-one situation, I beat that player, and once I do, I have to make sure I drive my legs and break the tackle.”

The Harlequins and Wales utility back could well be considered one of the biggest all-out threats in the northern hemisphere, injecting several doses of razzle-dazzle into a single run. Something she has always enjoyed doing.

“I do love having the ball in my hand” she said. “As I am a very competitive person, when I do get it, I take it as an opportunity to beat the opposition and get that extra metre, grab a clean break, whatever I can to keep going forward. You have to keep the ball moving forward! That’s the main principle of our game!”

But Powell’s main superpower is far more than just being a brilliant ball carrier. Her deep understanding of the game empowers her teams to excel at a higher level.

“I played scrum-half when I was younger, as I was the smallest one in the team, so it was the obvious choice. I played mostly in it until I was 18, also featuring as a 10 in a few games, before making my debut cap for Wales at full-back. A bit of a strange one regarding my position.”

While some might think that playing in more than one position could lead to a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ situation for Powell. It is the opposite. It gives her an edge.

“I take it as a massive compliment as I can play in multiple positions. It is actually really helpful, as it helps you better understand the role in each position. I did enjoy playing as a scrum-half, and who knows, maybe someday I will get to play as one again!”

Having settled as Harlequins’ primary fly-half, the Welsh playmaker explains that her job is not to contain her teammates but rather give them and her team the right platform to shine.

“Obviously, we have a game plan for a reason, but we also need to express our individuality,” Powell explained. “That’s why Claudia [Peña] and Ellie [Kildunne] are so good. They can create something from nothing.

“So, I wouldn’t say you have to control them but rather talk to them and explain what the team needs to do in that moment, and they understand that.”

For the 27-year-old, communication is key to a successful team that wishes to break into the top, and she provides a detailed explanation of her mindset.

“For me, it is important that everyone talks and not only your fly-halves or scrum-halves. For example, when I am at 10, I need my full-back to talk to me so I can better understand what’s going on and where the space is.

“The best backline is the one who is talking and listening as it is impossible for a single player to scan everything.”

And since we’re talking about communication, Powell opens up about the evolution within the Wales camp, with the team finding themselves in a better position since the arrivals of defence coach Tyrone Holmes and attacking specialist Ashley Beck.

“Tyrone Holmes has been very good for us, as he has devised a clear defensive process that is working well,” Powell said.

“The same goes for our attack with Ashley Beck, as the way he wants to play probably suits players like myself, as he is looking for speed over shape, asking us to bring our individual abilities into plays.”

While Wales haven’t claimed a win in the first three rounds of the 2026 Women’s Six Nations, they have cornered Scotland and France for periods of those fixtures, showcasing an enticing game that has reignited the passion within them.

“I think these coaching changes have impacted the environment and the cultural side of things massively. We have been together more, enjoying ourselves and spending time in each other’s company. That has been encouraged by the staff, making things more exciting.”

For the utility back, the several new additions to the roster have also played a crucial role in the team’s performance, like Jorja Aiono, Seren Singleton and Jenna De Vera.

“The young players who have come through are bringing a new energy and something different. We now have some big, tall girls coming through as well, something that we lacked previously. We are now tipping the balance to being a full team that has athletic, skilful and intelligent players.”

Nonetheless, Powell is honest in her assessment, as the team needs to make the most of every opportunity to push them closer to getting back on the winning track.

“There are still a lot of opportunities that we have not taken. If you take the France game as an example, at some point, they had two yellow cards, and we didn’t take advantage of them. There are still things that need to be worked on, but we are creating things and playing in the right areas.”

For her, Wales is her pride and joy, and she will go beyond her limits to help her national team go from strength to strength, no matter the position or role she plays in Sean Lynn’s team.

“I know it must sound the same, but for me, to play for Wales means everything. When I was a child, I just wanted to play for my country, and I didn’t care what sport it was. Rugby was the one that gave me the chance to wear the Three Feathers and sing the anthem. I am proud of my country, and everything is about it.”

While she admittedly doesn’t have a photographic memory, Powell can easily recall several pivotal moments during her time as a Wales international, starting with her debut.

“It was in 2019, and we went to Dublin to face Ireland,” Powell said. “I was very nervous, and my parents flew there to see the game.

“There was a panic the night before, as they got lost and their phone died. I went to sleep without knowing where they were.

“Thankfully, the next day, while we were on the bus, I saw them. It was a massive relief!”

Wales won with the game’s last play, with a brutal driving maul that ended in a try that sealed a win against a very determined Ireland team. Powell played the entire 80 minutes in a day packed with great memories.

“There were a couple of funny and memorable moments from that game. I remember that our fly-half [Elinor Snowsill] was charged down, and then I had to scoop the ball up.

“We were together at the bottom of the ruck, and she just kept saying, ‘Thank you!’ repeatedly. And yeah, afterwards, when I received the cap and had a photo in the end with my parents and my best friend, Bethan Lewis.”

As for her favourite Wales game of all-time, her side’s victory over Scotland in 2022 remains untouched at the top.

“I scored my first try for Wales, and Keira Bevan, in the end, kicked to give us the win. It was a real example of how a Welsh team never gives up and is always searching for a way to come out on top.”

Having been involved in the last two Women’s Rugby World Cups, Powell acknowledges how women’s rugby has grown enormously and offers a better future for everyone involved.

“As I’m walking towards that end, I’m starting to see that women’s sports are getting what they deserve and that warms my heart, especially because I have been part of it.”

But before thinking about retirement and the next chapters of her life, Powell is focused on becoming an even better player and teammate, although a dream lingers in her mind: the first-ever British & Irish Lions Women’s tour in 2027.

“The British & Irish Lions will be another milestone for women’s rugby, I’m certain. I am doing everything I can now to put myself in the best place for selection, but it’s still just a dream until it becomes reality.”

Powell’s life story has been all about commitment, sacrifice and passion, whilst never getting lost in the foggy, but always alluring, world of dreams.

Her journey to become an Olympian with Team GB is an example of that way of life. After she missed the delayed 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo due to injury, the same almost happened again three years later.

“The same happened with Paris 2024,” Powell sighed. “I got my ACL done in 2023, and I didn’t think I would have a chance to make the team, as the gap between returning and the Olympics was short. However, I was lucky enough to get a call and got to make an appearance in the final game.”

Between Women’s Rugby World Cups, Summer Olympics, British & Irish Lions, Premiership Women’s Rugby and Women’s Six Nations, Powell has been determined to tell her story by the way she plays; through writing Welsh poetry in the form of magical carries and match-stealing moments.

For her, the stumbles she has experienced haven’t soured her rugby journey one bit.

“I am very fulfilled with my career, but there were those moments that I was like ‘Why am I doing this?’ that normally happen when you get yourself injured” Powell said.

“It wasn’t easy for me those two years that I got my ACL done, recovered, and then tore my hamstring and dislocated my shoulder, etc.

“However, it all goes away when you remember the great moments you have lived and the sacrifices you have made, and that this is a sport that empowers you.”