Meet Hanna Marshall: the Wales hopeful who passed before she walked

Hanna Marshall was only 12 when she made the decision that she wanted to play for Wales.

Even though her mum, Sian, jokes that the teenage fly-half could pass before she could walk. Pretty much every waking hour since that goal was set Marshall has pursued it.

From first learning the game at Pencoed RFC aged 5, she has represented Ospreys at U18 level aged 15, play for Wales U18 Touch, earned her a place at Hartpury’s Women’s Rugby Academy, Wales age grade sides, represented Great Britain Sevens on the HSBC SVNS Series and contend for the starting playmaker role for Brython Thunder at the start of this new Celtic Challenge season.

This week she has had a taste of what life in the senior Wales camp could look like as one of 55 players selected for a two-day alignment camp.

The array of players brought in by head coach Sean Lynn spent their time doing fitness tests, weights and had the senior Wales team’s goals for 2026 outlined to them.

“I’m grateful for getting invited and being able to work with the senior coaches as well,” Marshall told RugbyPass. “I have a lot of respect for Lynny and to have some one-on-one time with him and the other coaches, it will help me in the future.

“Being here with the senior girls, seeing their life and that this is what they do for a living – it is what I want to do – speaking to them about their journeys and how they got here, it helps me get my brain into gear.”

Already this season has been a busy one for Marshall. She has helped Hartpury University to an unbeaten start in Women’s BUCS Super Rugby and even made her debut for Great Britain Sevens in Dubai and Cape Town.

It is not hard to see why Sean Lynn put her name down to try out the shortened format of the game.

Highlight reels of the 19-year-old in action show her gliding past defenders, how her quick feet can confound even the cameras tracking her every move and her well-rounded skill set.

She and her teammates endured a bruising two weeks on the Series with back-to-back last-place finishes. Even so, Marshall got to test herself against the very best that the world has to offer.

“I spoke to my mother (after the offer came from Sean Lynn to represent Great Britain) and she said; just do it because this chance may never come again,” Marshall said. “I called him (Lynn) back the next day and said yes.

“It was amazing. We trained against New Zealand as well out there. Which I think in itself was incredible.

“We stayed in the same hotel as them. The first day we saw all the players we were fangirling and then we had to switch on – we were competing with them. It was incredible.”

Upon her return from the red heat of the South African summer Marshall was straight into Brython Thunder camp.

 

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Taking part in her second season with Ashley Beck’s team, she has continued playing with her university and Gloucester Hartpury teammates Seren Lockwood and Branwen Metcalfe, while Gwalia Lightning’s Alaw Pyrs, Tilly Vucaj and Carys Hughes have, temporarily, become enemies.

At the end of Round 3, Thunder sit bottom of the six-team league after losses to Glasgow Warriors, Lightning and Clovers.

Marshall admits that she “did not play very well” in the season opener against Glasgow as she switched from sevens rugby to 15s. A starter in two of those games, she led her team from half-back last weekend in a 15-12 loss to Ireland’s Clovers and provided an assist for Amy Williams.

While the results may not have been going Brython’s way, Marshall for one is optimistic about what the remainder of the season could have in store as she continues to test herself in an elite environment.

“The level is higher,” she said. “You are learning a lot more playing with the international girls. Being able to play with them and train with them, you’re getting better.

“On week one we didn’t get off to a great start. But against Clovers this weekend, we lost to them by 100 points (across two games) last year, so for there just to be three points in it is positive.

“It takes us a while to get into that tournament, and we got into that game. I think from now on it’s just going to get even better.”

At the end of her two days in camp Marshall returned to Brython Thunder and her studies at Hartpury University. The pursuit of gaining a senior Wales cap will also resume.

After the experiences of this week, Marshall’s energies are sure to be reinvigorated. So, getting back in the swing of things for Brython Thunder and the practices that have held her in such good stead so far is the very best thing to do.

“I think the goals for each year are sort of the same,” Marshall said. “Getting older the goals are changing, but I set out the same goals at the start of each year.

“Obviously I want to play for Wales. I don’t see myself in the senior team for the Six Nations, but towards the end of the year I know there are a lot of fixtures.

“Gaining weight has been a goal for years. Putting up my weights in the gym. Keeping on top of supplements. Just doing the one per cents that will hopefully get me to the top.”