International rugby stars Jasmine Joyce and Alisha Joyce have announced they will play their club rugby in Wales next season, a move driven by family considerations and a desire to continue their careers at the highest level.
The married couple, who spent six years with Bristol Bears in the Premiership Women's Rugby (PWR), played their final match for the club last weekend. Their next chapter will see them compete in the Celtic Challenge, likely with Llanelli-based Brython Thunder, where they debuted earlier this year. The change also allows them to be closer to family and spend more time with their son, Ralphie.
"This has not been an easy decision but one we have made for family reasons," said Alisha Joyce, a Wales flanker. "The travel to and from Bristol to train and play is not ideal when you have a young family, and we know we need the support network provided by our families and friends to bring up Ralphie."
Wales wing Jasmine Joyce emphasized the family-first mindset: "Our son Ralphie is at the centre of our decision-making now. We want the best for him while maintaining our rugby careers as professional athletes."
Despite the move, both players remain fiercely ambitious. "We are both still very ambitious and feel we have things to prove at club and Test level with Wales," Jasmine added. "Both of us have always wanted to play a high standard of club rugby in Wales but we have never had that opportunity until now."
The pair's return has been welcomed by Wales head coach Sean Lynn, who sees it as a sign of progress. He hopes more Welsh players will follow suit, especially those not getting enough game time in the PWR.
"The fact that Alisha and Jaz have taken this decision after playing in the Celtic Challenge shows they have faith that we can provide them with the platform to further their club and Test careers," Lynn said. He also noted that their experience will be "a real benefit" to emerging players.
Dave Reddin, WRU Director of Rugby and Elite Performance, described the move as a milestone: "It won't be lost on anyone that this is something they could not have done before and demonstrates the investment made by the Welsh Rugby Union in providing high quality cross-border rugby in Wales."
In addition to repatriating players, the WRU has formally expressed interest in entering a Welsh team into an expanded PWR, a development Reddin called "a really exciting option."