We've wanted a child for so long - Joyce-Butchers

Alisha and Jasmine Joyce-Butchers both play their club rugby for Bristol Bears

Jasmine Joyce-Butchers says she and wife Alisha have "wanted a baby for so long" that the timing of their pregnancy is irrelevant.

The Wales duo announced they were "keeping a little secret" in May after Alisha was absent from the Six Nations.

The 28-year-old flanker will naturally miss the Rugby World Cup which kicks off in England in just over three weeks.

"Everyone was asking Alisha 'why now, why now?'," said Jasmine, who is set to win her 50th cap against Australia on Friday.

"But there is always something in rugby, there is always something that comes up and you're like 'we'll wait for that, we'll wait for that'."

The couple who were married in December 2023 decided not to wait, and after a difficult first trimester, now look forward to welcoming their son in November.

"Obviously she's been the brave one, it's very selfless of her to be the one to carry and miss out on the World Cup and part of her career," Jasmine said.

"But we've wanted a child for so long and if one of us didn't play rugby, I think we would have had a child a long time ago.

"We're over the moon that we've been so lucky, we get to grow a child and bring him into the world."

Further ahead, Jasmine says it would be a dream to welcome their son onto the pitch, much like team-mate Donna Rose did with her daughter during the Six Nations.

"It would be pretty cool if me and Alishia could still be playing, hopefully Alisha gets back fit and comes back pretty quickly," she said.

"We'll have Joyce-Butchers on the back of our jerseys, that would be pretty special."

Jasmine and fellow mum Donna Rose on the training field in Brisbane

Alisha is the first professional player to experience the Welsh Rugby Union's new performance maternity programme.

"I think they've pretty much followed England's maternity policy," said Jasmine.

"Abbie Ward [England lock and Bristol Bears team-mate] trialled that out and I know she speaks very highly of it.

"It's been phenomenal so far, Alisha can't fault it. Jamie, our S&C [strength and conditioning coach], has been the lead in her programme and she wants to do more and more every day, but Jamie's like 'you're carrying a child, chill out.'

"She's been loving training in and around the environment with the girls as well."

Three-time Olympian Jasmine is currently in Sydney where Wales will play their final warm-up Test on Friday before their World Cup opener against Scotland on 23 August.

Alisha meanwhile is back home in Wales decorating the nursery.

"She won't show me, it's a surprise," Jasmine said, "that's normally my forte, I hope she does it well!"

But Jasmine is intent on adding her own personal touches having taken up a new hobby on tour.

"I've being crocheting little things. I've done a dinosaur, it doesn't look like a dinosaur, and I've done a little bee, which looks like a bee," she joked.

"I'm not normally a crocheter, but we had so much time on the plane, so much time here and I like to keep busy.

"I had knitted before but I left my knitting on the plane, so I had to borrow Kayleigh Powell's crochet kit. It's very therapeutic."