'I fought so hard to be back' - Jones on injury woes

Kelsey Jones suffered a significant knee injury while playing for Gloucester-Hartpury at the start of the 2024-2025 season

Women's Six Nations: Wales v England

Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff Date: Saturday, 29 March Kick-off: 16:45 GMT

Coverage: Watch live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online and listen on BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Cymru

Missing one Premiership Women's Rugby final through injury is tough to take, but missing two is just cruel.

That was the reality for Wales hooker Kelsey Jones, who watched Gloucester-Hartpury complete the 'threepeat' – three successive titles – with victory over Saracens earlier this month.

Jones missed out in 2024 as she was recovering from a disc replacement in her neck and was absent from this year's showpiece after suffering a serious knee injury last May.

"It's probably one of the hardest things I've been through as a player," said Jones.

"They are the moments I want to be on the pitch and the business end of the season is probably my favourite time where I thrive in rugby."

Jones said being forced to sit out the first final was "probably the hardest" because she had been involved at the beginning of that season.

"This time around I just knew it wasn't possible for me to be there, so I just played a different role," she added.

"It was absolutely crazy in the shed, supporting as loud as I could, cheering my friends on.

"It was still great to be a part of, but it was a bittersweet moment."

Jones marked her return to action last Saturday, coming off the bench in Wales' opening-round loss to Scotland in the Women's Six Nations.

"I fought so hard to try to be back," she said, citing the support of family, friends and team-mates.

"I genuinely don't think I would be back on that pitch on Saturday if it wasn't for a lot of those people."

Gwenllian Pyrs and Donna Rose have both undergone recent neck surgery

Jones was joined in coming back last weekend by two other Wales front-row stalwarts, Gwenllian Pyrs and Donna Rose.

Like Jones, they both bear the scars of neck surgery.

For Sale Sharks loose-head Pyrs, Scotland was a first outing since surgery in November, which included a disc replacement and disc fusion, while Saracens tight-head Rose had a similar procedure in December.

"It was something that was developing and after WXV [last October] we decided that it was time to operate and then we had enough time to recover for the Six Nations," said Pyrs, who scored a try on her return in Edinburgh.

But for Rose, playing on was not an option.

"I'd been playing through it for a while, denying to myself how bad it really was, and then it came to a point where I was in so much pain that I had to say to myself 'you do need this surgery, let's be honest here'," said Rose.

"I was kind of in the mindset [that] if I admit that I've hurt my neck that it's a career-ending injury. That's why I put it to the back of my mind and went through the pain, but here I am today fighting fit and ready to go.

"It's surreal being with the team again and running around. I wasn't afraid to take contact, I just wanted to get stuck in with the girls again."

Asked if the long-term wear and tear of being a front-row forward concerned her, Jones said injury was "part and parcel of the sport".

"You know playing rugby that it comes with the risks but I don't think I'd change anything. I'm here and living my best life. I absolutely love it and I'll worry about that when I get there," she said.

The experienced trio, who have over 100 caps between them, are in line to feature against England at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

With more than 12,000 tickets sold, the game has already broken the record for a standalone women's international rugby match in Wales.

The previous record was set during last year's Women's Six Nations, when 10,592 came out to watch Wales beat Italy.