Two Amman Valley people are currently at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand not representing Wales!

Lucy Packer is England’s scrum half in the World Cup, and Callum Howells is an analyst for the USA team.

Despite their allegiances in the tournament, Ammanford stays close to them, with both of them attending Ysgol Dyffryn Aman during their childhood days.

Lucy Packer, 22, has shown her talent on the rugby field at such a young age, having been at London Harlequins Women since the start of the 2018/19 season.

She has shone at club level, featuring as Harlequins Women won their first Premier 15s championship in the 2020/21 season.

In 2019, she was called up to the England Women's Test squad during the Super Series in California, being eligible to play for England through her ancestry.

This was followed by being offered a professional contract with England earlier this year.

Away from rugby, she is studying Biochemistry at the University of Surrey.

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Meanwhile, Callum earned his degree in Sports Performance Analysis from Cardiff Metropolitan University, before achieving his Masters shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic.

He has been at USA Rugby for nearly four years, working much of it remotely during the pandemic. Now he works mainly from Wales, but is no stranger to the team’s home base in San Diego.

At the World Cup, England scored 14 tries in their 84-14 victory over Fiji, while the United States lost their opening match to Italy.

In their groups at the tournament, England face France before their last group game against South Africa, while the USA go up against Japan and Canada.

Another of the Ysgol Dyffryn Aman’s former pupils, Hannah Jones, has stuck with her Welsh roots at the tournament, captaining Wales in their first game of the tournament against Scotland.

Wales were victorious 18-15 in their first game with Hannah captaining, as they prepare to face New Zealand and Australia.

Talented half-back Ffion Lewis, another a former pupil at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman pupil, is also in the Wales squad.