Keira Bevan: 'Wales need to find an edge to compete at Rugby World Cup'

Wales scrum-half Keira Bevan says the team need to find “an edge” about them if they are going to compete in the Rugby World Cup next year.

The pool draw was confirmed on 17 October and Wales were drawn in Pool B alongside Canada, Scotland and Fiji. Wales’ form over the last year has taken a dip with team finishing last in the 2024 Women’s Six Nations and in fifth at the recent WXV 2 tournament.

Bevan, who was speaking after playing for Bristol Bears in a loss to Saracens at Ashton Gate, said of the pool: “We were at Bristol training and I was sat in between two Scottish girls! It is probably the toughest pool, I think, to be involved in. Canada are obviously class at the minute and Scotland are performing really well. They [Scotland] are kind of chasing our tails a little bit, and we have just under a year to sort that out if we want to compete in that pool otherwise it is going to be tough.

“We play Scotland quite a lot, and we know a lot of the girls. It’s an interesting one. We had them in the last World Cup as well, playing them in the Six Nations before that, you kind of get bragging rights to a certain degree, but anything can happen in a World Cup. They are playing some great rugby at the minute whereas we are probably not there yet. They are going to be full of confidence, and we need to find that edge about us if we are going to compete at the World Cup.”

Bevan, 27, took on more of a captaincy role with Wales in WXV 2, and she said it only added to her game.

“I think it brought out the best in me because I had to ask the girls for stuff; if I wasn’t prepared to do it myself, it didn’t mean anything,” she said. “I think it brought the best out of my game, and I am playing the best rugby I have probably played in a while, which is quite nice. I think I took it in my stride. The girls were easy to lead; they did everything I asked, and I know they gave their all when we were out there, so I couldn’t ask for more.

“From an on-pitch look at it, it is quite a nice role. The stuff that comes with the off-pitch stuff can be quite difficult, especially when you aren’t winning games. The press conference after the Australia game is quite difficult. I don’t know what plans Ioan [Cunningham, Wales head coach] has moving forward. I think he sees me as a leader in the team, but he has a lot of trust and faith in Hannah [Jones] as well, so it’s completely up to him.”

Bevan was straight back into Bristol camp this week to play against Saracens. The number nine came off the bench in Bristol’s 41-24 loss and was a bright spark when introduced.

On returning to club rugby so quickly after the international games: “I am better when I am playing consistently. Dave [Ward, Bristol head coach] asked us to go in on Monday, and I said maybe that is a bit too soon, but I was happy. I enjoyed training this week, being back in with the girls and playing a different style of rugby than we do in Wales, which is really nice. To get a good chunk of the game under my belt [against Sarries], personally, it was quite nice.”

Bristol will next play Sale Sharks on 26 October.