Watch: Is Wales’ Jasmine Joyce the fastest rugby player on the planet?
We’re not saying Jasmine Joyce IS the quickest female rugby player on the planet, but after watching her exploits at yesterday’s World Sevens Rugby tournament, we’ll take some convincing there is anyone who possesses the lightning turn of pace that the Welsh woman does.
Playing for Team GB in their 41-12 victory against the USA, in the sevens tournament being held in Vancouver, she was at least 10 yards behind American flyer Jaz Gray, who is one of the quickest players in the world game.
However, not only did Joyce track her opponent down like a cheetah hunting its prey, she took out the American with a covering tackle that exemplified her fierce determination, much to the admiration of the commentators who were evidently shocked at what they had witnessed.
Wow
The speed! She almost got a ticket!— IndySilverfox (@indysilverfox) September 18, 2021
Jasmine Joyce’s exploits also impressed those reacting to a video of the incident posted on Twitter.
One Twitter user posted: ‘Wow. The speed! She almost got a ticket!’
Another gushed: ‘Ridiculous tackle. World class!’ While another exclaimed: ‘Yes! Go Roadrunner!’
Joyce is fast becoming one of the most talked about names in world rugby.
Slippery as an eel
The Welsh flyer was one of the stars of Team GB at the Tokyo Olympics scoring seven tries in six appearances.
“I love playing sevens regardless of whether it is for Team GB, Wales or whoever,” she said in an interview with the World Rugby Sevens website. “So to get to go to Canada and Dubai (in November/December) is pretty cool,” she said.
“For me as a Welsh person, I don’t get many opportunities to play the world-class teams because we are not on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series and we are at the lower end of Rugby Europe so it is tough going back (from GB to Wales) knowing you’re going to be playing lower-end teams.
“For me and the Scottish girls, it’s about enjoying every second of playing on Team GB again. We don’t know whether or when we’ll get the opportunity to play against these teams again.”
Famously described by one commentator as being as ‘slippery as an eel in olive oil’, the Pembrokeshire-born speedster’s ability to evade tackles through pace and footwork makes her one of the rising stars of both sevens and 15s rugby.
Although currently playing for Team GB in Canada, Wales is never far from her thoughts.
“Hopefully, I’ll continue to get selected by Wales and want to go to the World Cup in New Zealand then Paris (Olympics) in 2024,” she says. “.Those are my rugby-based dreams for the next couple of years.”
You wouldn’t bet against her achieving them.
Support our Nation today
For the price of a cup of coffee a month you can help us create an independent, not-for-profit, national news service for the people of Wales, by the people of Wales.
Hang on, so the English have stolen our Rugby 7’s team off us and now our players represent “Britain” / England. Who let this happen? Weren’t our men world champions a decade ago?
If a Welsh person isn’t representing our country, than what they do means less than nothing.
Team GB, yikes
Yes, it’s the Heebie-Team-Jeebies. 🤮
That’s how fast Wales should run away from this false British Union of one. Obviously Jasmine Joyce is talented athlete. But she must realise that when she plays for Britain in the Olympics, are represent only England, Scotland & Ireland (Republic & NI). Those are the countries on the Union flag most Welsh Olympians drape around their shoulders. And If they had any dignity rather than turning a blind eye would not do so. Money talks sadly. And the anthem sung is by anybody representing “Britain” be it Rugby 7s, Football, Olympics etc… is England’s national anthem not Britain’s. In… Read more »