Bethan Dainton: Dual-code international made Wales rugby league captain
- Published
Bethan Dainton was part was part of the Leeds Rhinos team that made it to the Super League Grand Final and Challenge Cup final in 2023
Bethan Dainton has been named Wales captain for rugby league internationals against France and England.
The Leeds Rhinos forward is one of four Welsh female dual-code internationals.
The 35-year-old made her international league debut against England in 2021.
"Pulling on the red jersey is pretty special, but to captain my country, be the one to lead out the team and sing our national anthem, will be the pinnacle of my career and the greatest honour," said Dainton.
"I am grateful for the opportunity and am looking forward to the challenge but for me, nothing really changes. I like to drive standards on and off the pitch and pride myself on leading from the front whilst also enjoying the process and not taking myself too seriously.
"I truly believe in creating a positive environment to allow others to grow and express themselves."
Dainton won eight rugby union caps for Wales between 2016 and 2021, having also played for the Barbarians, Newport Gwent Dragons, Bristol Bears, Harlequins and the UK Armed Forces.
A serving soldier, she was introduced to rugby league with The Army in 2021 and made her international league debut for Wales against England in 2022.
Wales face England at Headingley - home of Leeds Rhinos - on Saturday, 4 November, a game which will be broadcast live across the BBC. That follows a match against France in Carcassonne on Sunday, 29 October.
"I'm really looking forward to getting some international rugby league under our belts as we've not had a fixture since October last year," said Dainton.
"We know both France and England will be tough encounters and we're definitely up for the challenge.
"We always talk about how we want to compete and not participate so this will be a great opportunity to play the best teams and see where we are at as a squad heading into the Rugby League World Cup qualifying campaign, which is ultimately our main goal."
Wales head coach Tom Brindle said "Bethan is a leader on the field and off the field. She has played at the highest level consistently and played high-pressure games.
"She always rises to the occasion and delivers on the world's biggest stages, and will continue to be a great influence on our team as we set to take on two powerhouses of rugby league."