:Natalia John
{{Infobox rugby biography
| name = Natalia John
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|2|15|df=y}}
| birth_place = Pontypridd, Wales
| school = Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr
| university = Swansea University
| height = 175cm
| weight = 90kg
| occupation = Physics teacher, rugby player
| ru_currentposition = Second row
| ru_currentteam = Bristol Bears
| years1 = 2020-present
| clubs1 = Bristol Bears
| apps1 =
| points1 = 0
| years2 =
| clubs2 = Ospreys
| apps2 =
| points2 = 0
| years3 =
| clubs3 = Swansea RFC
| apps3 =
| points3 = 0
| repyears1 = 2018–present
| repteam1 = Wales
| repcaps1 = 43
| reppoints1 =
| ru_ntupdate = 06 May 2021
}}
Natalia John (born 15 February 1996) is a Welsh Rugby Union player who plays second row for the Wales women's national rugby union team and Bristol Bears. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2018 and represented them at the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.
Club career
John began playing rugby in 2014 while studying at Swansea University. She first played with her local team, Bonymaen, before signing with premiership team Swansea RFC in 2016.{{Cite web|title=Natalia John|url=https://www.moonrisesports.com/rugby/natalia-john|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Moonrise|language=en}} In 2017, John was selected to play for the Ospreys, where her impressive performance led to a call-up to Wales' autumn series training squad later that year.{{Cite web|last=Griffiths|first=Rob|date=2017-10-18|title=Four North Walians called into Wales Womens training squad|url=http://www.dailypost.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/four-north-walians-called-wales-13779432|access-date=2021-05-06|website=North Wales Live|language=en}} She signed with her current club, Bristol Bears, in 2020.{{Cite web|title=Natalia John joins Bristol Bears Women|url=https://www.bristolbearsrugby.com/news/natalia-john-joins-bristol-bears-women/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Bristol Bears|language=en}}
International career
Following her call-up to the training squad in 2017, John was selected for the 2018 Women's Six Nations Championship team, where she made her international debut against Scotland.{{Cite web|title=Natalia John|url=https://www.wru.wales/women/natalia-john/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Welsh Rugby Union {{!}} Wales & Regions|language=en-GB}} She has since represented the Wales women's team at each subsequent Six Nations Championship.
In 2019, she was part of the first Welsh side to face British invitational rugby union club Barbarians FC, at a Principality Stadium double-header in Cardiff.{{Cite web|date=2019-12-02|title=Natalia proud to follow in father's footsteps - Welsh Rugby Union|url=https://www.wru.wales/2019/12/natalie-proud-to-follow-in-fathers-footsteps/|access-date=2021-05-06|website=Welsh Rugby Union {{!}} Wales & Regions|language=en-GB}}
John was selected for the Wales squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Liz |date=2022-09-21 |title=Wales Rugby World Cup squad named |url=https://www.wru.wales/2022/09/wales-rugby-world-cup-squad-named/ |access-date=2022-09-22 |website=Welsh Rugby Union |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2022-09-21 |title=Wales: Siwan Lillicrap captains 32-player Rugby World Cup squad featuring 19 tournament debutants |url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/news/12321/12702496/wales-siwan-lillicrap-captains-32-player-womens-rugby-world-cup-squad-featuring-19-tournament-debutants |access-date=2022-10-10 |website=Sky Sports |language=en}} She was named in the Welsh side for the 2025 Six Nations Championship in March.{{Cite web |date=15 March 2025 |title=NEWS: Wales Women name squad for Guinness Women's Six Nations |url=https://www.sixnationsrugby.com/en/w6n/news/lynn-announces-wales-squad-for-2025-guinness-womens-six-nations |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=Six Nations Rugby}}{{Cite web |last=Gillespie |first=Graeme |date=14 March 2025 |title=Lynn names 37-strong Wales Women squad for Six Nations |url=https://www.wru.wales/2025/03/lynn-names-37-strong-wales-women-squad-for-six-nations/ |access-date=16 March 2025 |website=Welsh Rugby Union}}
Personal life
John attended Welsh language secondary school Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr before later studying materials engineering at Swansea University, where she graduated with a degree in 2017.{{Cite web|title=Swansea University students past and present to fly the flag for Wales in Six Nations|url=https://www-2018.swansea.ac.uk/press-office/news-archive/2018/swanseauniversitystudentspastandpresenttoflytheflagforwalesinsixnations.php|access-date=2021-05-06|website=www-2018.swansea.ac.uk}}
She was the second in her family to face the Barbarians wearing a number 4 shirt. Her father, Gareth John, played for Penarth in the final Good Friday fixture against the invitational side in March 1986.
John is a qualified physics teacher but is now a full-time rugby player for Wales and is one of the first twelve women to have a professional contract for Wales.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-12|title=First full-time Wales Women players revealed - Welsh Rugby Union|url=https://www.wru.wales/2022/01/first-full-time-wales-women-players-revealed/|access-date=2022-02-11|website=Welsh Rugby Union {{!}} Wales & Regions|language=en-GB}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.wru.wales/women/natalia-john/}}
{{Wales Squad 2021 Rugby World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:John, Natalia}}
Category:Welsh female rugby union players