Emily Carrington has enjoyed her rugby as a back rower in Haverfordwest Ladies’ team for the past decade and is still playing well in a team that is much changed from the very experienced group of players who joined her in winning the WRU Bowl Competition at the Principality Stadium - but is still bringing on talented younger players and giving them every encouragement to take part.
 
This was very evident in their last league match as they made the trek to play Porthcawl Ladies and came back with an excellent 35-17 victory where Emily not only scored a good try from a much-practised training-session move but was later chosen as The Blues’ forward of the match.
 
But there was also clear evidence that some of the newcomers are beginning to adapt to the needs of the game - and are continuing the team’s tradition of enjoying each other’s company and maintaining the high level of camaraderie that has marked the team’s history.
 

Also did well in the equine world

 
Emily played a little bit of tag rugby as a nipper at Llangwm, the club nearest the family home, but it was in the equine world that she was more involved as a teenager, with the real honour of being selected to represent Wales as they took on England, Scotland and Ireland, plus New Zealand, in the ‘Working Hunter’ class in a competition held at Chepstow.
 
The class not only involved showing the horse at its best through the range of walk, trot, canter and gallop but jumping fences as well, and Emily really enjoyed the experience on ‘Noble Red Edition’
 
Emily started playing rugby whilst studying at Pembrokeshire College, where she took part in seven a-side tournaments with Lloyd Phillips as coach and then began in earnest as she used to go with the rest of her family to watch younger brother Tom play prop for Haverfordwest and she was eventually roped in to play.

Family Matters . . .

 
The other Carringtons have always been involved in sport because her dad John used to play rugby in his younger days and still goes to the SAW gym to train alongside her mother Helen, who was a late starter but became a World Champion power-lifter in 2024 as she flew out to South Africa to compete and came home as a gold medalist!
 
Also involved in rugby now in an entirely different way is her grandfather William ‘Billy’ John, who takes fantastic action photographs of The Blues with regard to both men’s and women’s rugby - and our photographs for this article come from our friend Mr John!
 
And last, but perhaps not least, is Emily’s partner, Jack Clancy, who has played for many years at Haverfordwest RFC and is still a regular second row in the first team.  Like Emily he is an excellent ball winner and likes nothing better that showing his ability to break tackles and charge forward.
 

Started out in a very strong squad

 
That was almost ten years ago when she first joined the squad and started out as a winger or full back before astute coach Chris Beggan converted her to the back row. Emily was made very welcome by a strong group of very experienced players that included Nina Bishop, Clodagh Llewellin, Awen Prysor, Jo Price, Emma Evans and Lyn Ward in a team that actually won their league ahead of a strong team from near Pontypridd called Ynysybwl.
 
“They were all very welcoming,” Emily told us, “and I quickly learned important skills and gained in confidence as they were very supportive.
 

A wonderful 2023 season

 
“But the most momentous time came in 2023, when we were being coached by Steve Barnett and after a fantastic season reached the Welsh Bowl Final,” Emily told us, “and we took on a strong Clwb Rygbi Caerdydd Cymru team at The Principality Stadium.
 
“It was very hard-fought but we stuck to the game plan drawn up by Steve and edged home by three points to round off a marvelous day where all our families were in Cardiff to cheer us on and so were quite a lot of supporters from our club.
 
“It was an amazing experience to change where so many famous players had done before and walking out onto the pitch was fantastic, as was the moment we knew we had won and went up to get our trophy and medals, with Jana Neumann as deserved player of the match.
 
“It goes without saying really – but we celebrated into the early hours of the next day!”
 

High praise indeed from coach Steve

 
We chatted to Steve Barnett recently and he told us,
“Emily was a very keen member of my squad, sometimes defying a knee problem to turn out when we were struggling to field a full team.
 
She was always very keen in training and ready to listen to advice - and as a result became one of the stalwarts I knew I could always rely on.”
 
High praise indeed from someone who really knows his sporting onions!
 

A second visit to The Principality ends in defeat

 
“It was back to The Principality again the next season to take on Bonymaen RFC in the Plate Final, which was a step up in class but although we gave everything we had, they were just too strong and streetwise for us so we had to settle for the runners-up medals, but it was still a great day which we all shared together.
 
This season saw The Blues ladies lose out in the quarter-final of the Plate Competition but Emily would say that the team has had so many changes they have done really well, with so many players now doing really well and others making a break-through as they gain in experience.
 

Another great squad beginning to grow together

 
“Emma Summons is a brilliant captain and top scrum half,” Emily told us, and the Harries sisters Sarah and Claire Lawrence as key players in the front row, with Sarah already playing prop for Wales.
 
“Rhian Swift lives up to her surname at full back, Elin Williams is an ace goal kicker and controls play at No 10, whilst Emma Busch is sister of the men’s captain Karl Busch and Aimee Ridley is sister to our excellent coach Morgan and both are great assets to the club.
 

And finally . . .

 
“We are very lucky to have terrific support from Delyth and John Summons, who are Emma’s parents and watch us wherever we play, with Delyth as our first lady District H representative on the WRU and John ready to do first aid, run the line or do anything else that is needed.”
 
But there is still a real need for more players because their squad is a small one and Emily would make an impassioned plea for anyone interested to come forward.
“Previous experience is always helpful, but not needed,” she told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk, “but not vital because a willingness to learn is far more important.
 
“Training is always great fun because Morgan makes sure it builds up camaraderie in our sessions, which take place just once a week in these dark winter months.
 
“Just go on our web site or give the club a ring for details - you’ll be welcomed with open arms.”