Gemma Rowland

Gemma Rowland
Date of birth (1989-02-07) 7 February 1989 (age 35)
Place of birthBristol, England
Height1.68 m (5.5 ft)
UniversityCardiff Metropolitan University
University of Exeter
Occupation(s)Army Captain, rugby player
Rugby union career
Position(s) Centre
Current team Bristol Bears
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2021-present
2013-2021
2012-present		 Bristol Bears
Wasps
British Army		 ()
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2011–present Wales
Correct as of 6 May 2021

Gemma Rowland (born 7 February 1989) is a Welsh Rugby Union player who plays centre for the Wales women's national rugby union team, Bristol Bears and the British Army Rugby Union. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2015, and represented them at the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.[1]

Club career

Rowland's interest in rugby began when she attended Colston's School in Bristol. At the time, the school's sports curriculum for female students included only hockey, netball, tennis and rounders. This changed when Laura Keates, now an ex-England international rugby player, joined the school, and she and Rowland began a campaign to start an after-school girls' rugby club. The team then went on to win the Rosslyn Park National Schools sevens two years in a row.[2]

Rowland continued to play rugby while studying at the University of Exeter. It was here that she was offered a sports scholarship under the Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS).[3]

On joining the Army in 2011, Rowland was selected into the British Army rugby squad, and subsequently the United Kingdom Armed Forces team.[2]

Rowland was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, and on her return in 2013 signed with premiership club Wasps. She was selected into the Wales squad in 2015.[2]

In a later interview, Rowland said she "never expected to leave Wasps", but following ankle surgery, the travel between her home in Wales and the club ground in Coventry became too challenging.[4] In 2021, she moved to her current team, Bristol Bears.[5]

International career

Rowland made her international debut at the 2015 Women's Six Nations Championship, when Wales defeated world champions England in a memorable 13-0 victory at Swansea.[5]

She then represented Wales at both the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup, and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, as well as subsequent Women's Six Nations Championships.[5]

Rowland has won 19 caps in her rugby career to date.[1]

Personal life

Rowland attended Colston's School in Bristol as a child, before moving to the University of Exeter to study for a degree in sport and exercise science. She later obtained a master's degree in strength and conditioning from Cardiff Metropolitan University.

She has served with the British Army since 2011. Just six months after joining she was deployed to Afghanistan as a surveillance and reconnaissance specialist. Presently, she serves as head of training and development for the Army's unmanned air surveillance asset Watchkeeper Force.[2]

Rowland has spoken publicly about the difficulties she experienced as a teenager, when at the age of 14 she developed bulimia. She attributes her recovery to rugby, commenting in an interview with The Times: "Playing rugby completely changed the way I felt about my body. No matter what shape or size you are, there is a position for you in the game. Everybody has a purpose. It just clicked for me."[6]

References

  1. ^ a b "Gemma Rowland". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d "International Women's Day: The Rugby Star Who Lets Nothing Get In The Way Of Achieving Her Goals". Forces Network. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Alumnae face date with destiny as England go for glory in Women's Rugby World Cup Final". Team Bath. 26 August 2017. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  4. ^ at 1:04pm, Jon Knighton 3 March 2021. "'I Never Thought I'd Leave Wasps': Army Rugby Union Star Says After Bristol Bears Move". Forces Network. Retrieved 6 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b c "Rowland joins Bears Women ranks". Bristol Bears. Retrieved 6 May 2021.
  6. ^ centre, Gemma Rowland, Wales. "My sporting body: Gemma Rowland, Wales centre". ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 6 May 2021.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)