Kayleigh Powell
{{Short description|Wales international rugby union player}}
{{Infobox rugby biography
|name=Kayleigh Powell
|birth_place= Church Village{{cite web|url= https://www.wru.wales/women/kayleigh-powell/|website=wru.wales|title=Kayleigh Powell|accessdate=19 June 2024}}
|birth_date={{birth date and age|1999|2|18|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimaterugby.com/kayleigh-powell|website=Ultimate Rugby|accessdate=19 June 2024|title=Kayleigh Powell}}
|weight= 69kg
| spouse =
|school=
|university=
|ru_ntupdate=
|ru_currentposition= Fly-half
Full-back
|ru_currentteam=Harlequins Women
|years1={{0|0000}}–2020
|clubs1=Ospreys
|apps1=
|points1=
|years2=2020−2024
|clubs2=Bristol Bears
|apps2=
|points2=
|years3 = 2024–
|clubs3 = Harlequins Women
|apps3 =
|points3 =
|repyears1=2019–
|repteam1=Wales
|repcaps1=20
|reppoints1=0
|repsevensyears1=2022–
|repsevensteam1=Wales
|repsevenscomp1=
|repsevensyears2=2015–
|repsevensteam2=Great Britain
|repsevenscomp2=
}}
Kayleigh Powell (born 18 February 1999) is a Welsh rugby union player who plays Fly-half or full-back for the Wales women's national rugby union team, Team GB and Harlequins Women. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2019.
Early life
Powell played football and cricket as well as rugby, whilst growing up at Llantrisant Primary School in Llantrisant. She played for Llantrisant rugby club between eight and twelve years old and later joined Pencoed. She played scrum-half until U18 level. She played cricket for Glamorgan at U12 level and up until 15 years-old played football for Mid Glamorgan.{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/in-the-mag/hotshots/hotshot-wales-full-back-kayleigh-powell-109338|website=Rugby World|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Hotshot: Wales full-back Kayleigh Powell|date=4 May 2020|first=Sarah|last=Mockford}}
Career
She first played for Wales women's national rugby sevens team, representing Wales in the World Rugby Sevens Series and at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, before making her Wales women's national rugby union team 15-a-side debut against Ireland in November 2019.{{cite web|url= https://www.wru.wales/2022/04/kayleigh-powell-living-the-dream-and-striving-for-more/|website=Wru.wales|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Kayleigh Powell starts her fourth TikTok Women's Six Nations match this evening|date=22 April 2022}}
Powell played club rugby for Ospreys Rugby in her home country of Wales. She joined Bristol Bears Women in June 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolbearsrugby.com/news/wales-kayleigh-powell-joins-the-bears-women-ranks/| website=Bristol Bears Rugby|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Wales' Kayleigh Powell joins the Bears Women ranks|date=30 June 2020}} However, she missed the majority of 2021 with injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.bristolbearsrugby.com/news/kayleigh-powell-full-time-wales-contract-a-dream-come-true/|website=Bristol Bears Rugby|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Kayleigh Powell: 'Full-time Wales contract a dream come true'|date=22 July 2022}} She signed a semi-professional contract with Wales in January 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/60054710.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Kayleigh Powell and Sisilia Tuipulotu sign semi-professional contracts|date=19 January 2022}}
In July 2022, she signed a full time contract with Welsh Rugby. She played at full-back for Wales at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in October 2022.{{cite web|url= https://www.dai-sport.com/kayleigh-powell-the-kicker-who-has-gone-the-extra-myler-for-world-cup-lift-off-with-wales/|website=Dai Sport|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Kayleigh Powell . . . The Kicker Who Has Gone The Extra Myler For World Cup Lift Off With Wales|date=7 October 2022}}
She left the full-time Welsh Rugby 15s programme in November 20222 to join up with the Great Britain women's national rugby sevens team that was striving to qualify for the Paris Olympics.{{cite web|url= https://www.ospreysrugby.com/news/former-osprey-kayleigh-powell-called-team-gb-ahead-sevens-world-series|website=Ospreysrugby|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= FORMER OSPREY KAYLEIGH POWELL CALLED UP TO TEAM GB AHEAD OF SEVENS WORLD SERIES|date=
16 November 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/63636761|website=BBC Sport|title= Wales' Jasmine Joyce and Kayleigh Powell join GB Rugby Sevens for World Series|date=18 November 2022|accessdate=19 June 2024}} In August 2023, she agreed a hybrid contract with Team GB and Welsh Rugby.{{cite web|date=19 August 2023|accessdate=19 June 2024|website=BBC Sport|title= Joyce returns as Wales announce more pro deals|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/66646229}}
She played for the Welsh 15s at the 2024 Women's Six Nations Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/68861230.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Women's Six Nations: Underdogs Wales 'ready to rip into France' - Kayleigh Powell|date=20 April 2024|first=Ceri |last=Coleman-Phillips}}{{cite web|url=https://www.rugbyworld.com/tournaments/rugby-six-nations/wales-womens-six-nations-squad-123436|website=Rugby World|accessdate=19 June 2024|title= Wales Women's Six Nations Squad – Neumann in on the wing|first= Josh|last=Graham|date=25 April 2024}}
In June 2024, she was named as a reserve for the British squad at the 2024 Olympic Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2024-06-19/welsh-speedster-jasmine-joyce-makes-history-with-team-gb-paris-olympics-call-up|website=ITV.com|accessdate=19 June 2024|title=Welsh speedster Jasmine Joyce makes history with Team GB Paris Olympics call-up|date=19 June 2024|first=Matt|last=Southcombe}} During the tournament she was drafted in as a replacement for the injured Grace Crompton as the team finished seventh.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/articles/clkympwyxevo|title=GB Sevens finish seventh as Powell becomes an Olympian|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=31 July 2024}}
After the Olympics, she joined Harlequins Women. After playing ten matches for Quins at fly-half, she signed a contract extension with the club in February 2025.{{cite web|url=
https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/articles/c9814lyy4p4o.amp|website=BBC Sport|accessdate=19 February 2025|title= Wales and GB back Powell signs new Quins deal|date=18 February 2025}} 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}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Great Britain women's sevens 2024 Summer Olympics}}
{{Wales Squad 2021 Rugby World Cup}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Powell, Kayleigh}}
Category:Welsh female rugby union players
Category:21st-century Welsh sportswomen
Category:Great Britain women's international rugby sevens players
Category:Rugby union fullbacks
Category:Welsh rugby sevens players
Category:Wales international women's rugby sevens players
Category:Wales women's international rugby union players
Category:Bristol Bears Women players
Category:Rugby sevens players at the 2018 Commonwealth Games
Category:Commonwealth Games rugby sevens players for Wales
Category:British LGBTQ rugby union players
Category:Welsh lesbian sportswomen
Category:21st-century Welsh LGBTQ people