Firefighter and Wales prop Jenni Scoble retires from Test rugby after eight caps

Jenni Scoble will bring her Wales international career to a close after Saturday’s Barbarians fixture at Allianz Stadium, the 33-year-old prop announcing her retirement from Test rugby to prioritise her full-time role with the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Scoble made her international debut against Australia at WXV2 in 2024 and went on to earn eight caps, including a place in Sean Lynn’s Women’s Rugby World Cup squad in 2025. She scored her first international try against England at the Principality Stadium during the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

“This has been an incredibly tough decision to make and is one I have thought long and hard about,” Scoble said. “Playing for Wales and being part of the squad has meant everything to me but combining my role as an international rugby player with my career in the Fire Service has been a really delicate and tough balance.”

The prop, who is based at Roath Fire Station in Cardiff, added that the increasing demands of the professional game had made it impossible to give her best to both roles. “If I was younger and had this opportunity, I would bite your hand off, but I have a career I love and need to focus on giving back to the Fire Service which has allowed me to achieve my dream of playing for Wales.”

Scoble will continue to play club rugby for Gwalia Lightning in the Celtic Challenge, where she has been a regular presence for the past three seasons and featured in their play-off semi-final earlier this year.

Head coach Sean Lynn paid tribute to her dedication, noting that she regularly arrived at training sessions after overnight shifts. “To see her come in to training after being on a night shift and give everything she has to the cause is a symbol of her work ethic, dedication and desire to wear the Wales jersey,” Lynn said. “She has been a real role model and to have her pass on her experience to the next generation of players with Gwalia Lightning can only benefit those players and Welsh rugby.”

WRU Director of Women’s Rugby Nadine Griffiths described Scoble as “almost a victim of her own and women’s rugby’s success”, acknowledging that the rising professional standards of the international game had made the dual commitment increasingly difficult to sustain. “Jenni has been a fantastic role model for every young girl wanting to play rugby,” Griffiths said.