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Megan Jones: ‘Through adversity, you can still fulfil your dreams’
By Martyn Thomas reporting from London
“I never want people to feel sorry for me,” Megan Jones says as she reflects on a period in which she suffered unimaginable grief away from the rugby pitch.
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On Saturday, Jones will run out as part of an England team chasing Women’s Rugby World Cup glory in front of a sold-out Allianz Stadium.
Should the centre help the Red Roses to a third global crown she may also end the day as World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year, having been nominated for the gong to be handed out on the Twickenham turf, earlier this week.
It would be no less than Jones deserves having helped drive England on their current 32-match winning run and towards an historic occasion in south-west London.
Her performance in last weekend’s semi-final victory against France was described as “inspirational” by head coach John Mitchell, and arguably no player has come to embody the Kiwi’s reign like Jones.
Certainly, the player herself believes Mitchell has been key to unlocking her potential on the Test stage, since her return from sevens three years ago.
“With Mitch’s guidance, I feel like I’m capable of just fully being Meg,” Jones says.
Few outside the Canada camp would begrudge Jones a World Cup-World Player of the Year double but were she to complete it this weekend then it would be an achievement twinged with sadness.
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Her father Simon, who had first taken Jones down to Glamorgan Wanderers when she was six, passed away in August, only seven months after being diagnosed with advanced lung cancer.
Within four months, her mother Paula, who had long battled alcoholism, also died.
Earlier this week, when Jones received the news she had made the three-woman World Player of the Year shortlist, her parents were naturally at the forefront of her mind.
“I think it was just a nice sort of recognition and appreciation of what I’m doing, but also doing it for them, which is huge,” Jones says.
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“A little bit sad as well in the respect that I couldn’t share that moment with them. But it also solidified how much I appreciated the teammates I have around me and how much they look after me as well.”
Jones does not want to be seen as a victim – “mum and dad would hate that” – instead hoping people can take a positive message from her story.
“The bit I want to get over is that through difficult times, through adversity, you can still fulfil your dreams and your purpose, and you can actually use that to drive you in such a good way.
“And I’m not saying there’s never bad days, of course there’s loads of bad days but there’s always good within a bad day.
“Perspective is so beautiful and it’s everything my mum and dad taught me. Input via output, work hard and always know that you’ll never feel sad 24-7. These good days are always ahead.”
The path to those good days and a second World Cup final began at Glamorgan Wanderers, playing scrum-half for the boys’ team and earning the respect of teammates and opponents alike.
Although born and raised in South Wales, and being a fluent Welsh speaker, it was England’s 2014 World Cup win that set her on the journey to Twickenham.
“I remember watching the 2014 final at home in Cardiff,” Jones recalls. “I was on my own, I think everyone was out.
“So, I was just watching, and I remember them winning and I thought, I want to be there. I remember I was stood up and I was like, ‘I want to be there, that’s exactly what I want to do’.”
Only three years later, Jones started at outside-centre as England lost the 2017 final to New Zealand in Belfast.
“I don’t think I enjoyed 2017 as much as I could have done,” she says. “Because I was 20, I was young, I was literally going ‘what’s the next thing, what’s the next thing?’
“I was chasing, as you do as an aspiring player. Now, because of everything that’s happened as well, I’ve been so present in this time and wanting to share it with my loved ones.
“Being able to see Celia, my partner and one of my biggest supporters, being at home makes that easier as well. I’m not taking it for granted, which I might have done in 2017, to be honest.”
This time around Jones will make sure she soaks up every moment as the teams walk out in front of more than 80,000 fans at the home of English rugby.
And she is well aware of the impact a victory could have. Growing up in Cardiff, Jones’ rugby role models were all male but that is changing; win on Saturday and the Red Roses’ profile will rise even higher.
“Me playing with those boys, they wouldn’t have been able to mention a female rugby player,” Jones says.
“Now, because we’ve touched base with the community and a lot of us coach or reach out to clubs, we have boys and girls saying, ‘I want to be like Ellie Kildunne, Meg Jones or Zoe Aldcroft’.
“That’s just really special and will only elevate the game further. In 10 years’ time, those people will be thinking about becoming a pro rugby player or playing in a World Cup. That was something I didn’t see until I was 15, which can be 10 years too late sometimes.”
