Bristol Bears prospect Hopkins relishing big day for her family

Bristol Bears starlet Gwennan Hopkins is relishing a day to savour for the whole family as both she and her mum prepare for showpiece rugby occasions in Cardiff on Saturday.

The younger Hopkins is part of the Wales squad for the inaugural Six Nations Women’s U21 Series, with a clash against France at Cardiff Arms Park following on from the Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash between the two sides.

Earlier in the day, Hopkins’ mother, Anwen, will stride on to the hallowed Principality Stadium turf to represent Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd in their Road to Principality Plate final against Seven Sisters RFC.

“I think her kick-off is at 1pm so she will manage both,” Hopkins said.

“I would love to go and watch her but I think my family is going to go and watch my mum in the Principality, then the seniors, then me. They have a pretty full day!

“It means absolutely everything. This was always the dream, to represent Wales, and it is such a privileged position to be in. We are such a rugby-focused family and it means the world to all of us. We are all really excited.”

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Hopkins made her senior Wales debut in the 2024 Women’s Six Nations, scoring on her debut against Ireland, and is captaining the U21s in this year’s pathway competition.

She is a sporting all-rounder in the truest sense, having claimed five British taekwondo titles and competed in a World Championships as a junior, while she also claimed a Welsh national title in weightlifting.

“As much as I enjoyed those other sports and learned so much, rugby has always been where I want to go in life,” she said.

“Being able to compete at a high level growing up quite consistently throughout my early teens taught me to enjoy what I’m doing. It is just for fun.

“I’ve always loved what I do and enjoying the journey is as important as working hard. When you are training for a competition, it is really easy to focus on putting your head down and working but enjoying the journey is also a big part of the drive and why we compete.”

Hopkins combines her rugby ambitions with studying for a degree in Sports Business Management at Hartpury University, with her final exams coming up in May.

She plays her club rugby for Bristol Bears, who she joined from Gloucester Hartpury last summer, and has settled in quickly.

“I love Bristol, the girls are amazing and the management are great as well,” she said.

“I am a pretty quiet person in general and they are very confident, welcoming and lovely people. They have made it really easy to make Bristol my home.

“It was such a hard decision choosing where to play as I loved playing in the Celtic Challenge as well. But for my career progression, this year has been massive.”