The esteem in which she is held by her coaches and teammates was reflected in their nomination of her for the Most Valuable Player award. Receiving it was a moment of pride for the girl from the North East. “It was an honour,” she reflects. “We have so many big names in the team, so it’s really nice to be voted by your teammates and not just the coaching staff.”
The Women’s Summer Series in Italy was a pivotal moment for her, she says. “It was unreal. Such a positive experience.” Balancing camaraderie off the pitch with stellar performances on it, she enjoyed the best of both worlds. The competition has proven to be a crucial platform for emerging talents like hers. “It’s huge. It’s bridging the gap and it’s just a great platform to show yourself off in a way that you couldn’t before.”
Niamh’s England coach, LJ Lewis, has praised her vibrant personality throughout the campaign – something the young forward attributes to her upbringing. “Be yourself, always - my mam’s told me that since I was young. I like to bring positive vibes and be a good presence around people. I might be a bit annoying at times!”
Key to Niamh’s success in Parma was the freedom to play her unique style. “Being given the opportunity to play how I want to play, with the freedom to both run up through the middle, but also be quick around the edges,” she explains. This approach, encouraged by Lewis, allowed her to excel, balancing the traditional front row role with her exceptional speed and agility. It’s little surprise that she managed to get on the scoreboard in consecutive matches against Wales and France.
Having begun her rugby journey at Ryton RFC in Gateshead, she now plays her club rugby some three hours away for Sale Sharks. Last season with the club was “really positive,” she says, which set the stage for her success in the Women’s Summer Series. “Going to Italy to compete was just a case of continuing the season and finishing it on a high,” she says.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Niamh packed down in the back row in her U18 days, but transitioned to hooker once in the pathway system. Despite the position change, she has retained and developed her versatility, embracing the role of an ‘edge forward’ who can play dynamically across the field.
She’s now focused on the upcoming season and her transition from U20s to fully embracing women's rugby in the PWR. “I’ll be going back into preseason next week, so it’s just a case of enjoying the season again, playing for me,” she says. So we can look forward to another new chapter in Niamh Swailes’s promising career.
