Gemma Hallett is a Welsh rugby union player who has played second row and number 8, earning 35 caps for Wales. Hallett started her international career making her appearance in the Welsh Students squad in April 2004 coached by Nadine Griffiths. Hallett along with scrum half Laura Prosser were selected to join the Welsh Development team where they played in fixtures against England A, both Hallett and Prosser were late call up replacements for the injured Mellissa Berry and Beth Gallacher for the national squad tour of South Africain the summer of 2004. Hallett came off the bench to earn her first taste of senior international rugby to face Eastern Province. She was part of the Welsh team that won the Triple Crown in 2009 and was involved in the 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup. and secured qualification for the 2014 Women's Rugby World Cup. Since retiring from rugby Gemma has also been a Sky Sports pundit for the 2014 Rugby World Cup and commentator for the Women's Six Nations, for the BBC and World Rugby Live feed.
Rugby career
Early Years After impressing then coach Nadine Griffiths for the Welsh students squad whilst in university, Hallett was invited to join the tour to South Africa in 2004. It is during this time a desire to play for the National squad took hold. In 2005 following her graduation, she embarked on a season playing in Australia for Sydney's Eastern Suburbs. She enjoyed a season of running rugby where she played at No. 8, and captained the team against a touring Singapore side. Following her return to Wales, and a switch of positions to second row, she made her full Wales International debut earning her first cap against Italy in the Autumn of 2006 at Cardiff's Glamorgan Wanderer's ground, followed a week later by a starting position against the Netherlands at Llanrhumney playing fields. She scored her only international try against Sweden in November 2009. Hallett became a regular international from 2006-2010 where she earned 30 caps, involved in each squad, only missing two games through a knee medial injury during the 2008 six nations. Hallett played a key role starting in all of Wales's World Cup games at England 2010. A tournament which saw her struggling with an allergic reaction to the antibiotics she was taking to combat a viral infection. She was ordered to bed rest for the days in between matches during the later part of the tournament. This tournament was said to be her last as she retired from the sport. Yet during her travels and blogging for the WRU whilst following Wales' men at the 2010 World Cup, Hallett found herself playing for Nelson, New Zealand. Return to Wales Hallett returned to Wales and her Welsh club Pontyclun to continue playing one more season at amateur level. Following a series of good performances, echoing the style she had enjoyed in New Zealand, she captured the eyes of Regional and National coaches and was called back into the National set up. She was made Vice Captain for the 2013 Six Nations squad and captained the team in their warm up fixtures and game against France for the injured skipper Rachel Taylor. Her last game for Wales was the final 6 nations game against England that year. The same season Hallett was named Premiership Player of The Year at the annual WRU women's dinner, where she was presented with a trophy by her playing idol; Scott Quinnell. Hallett also captained the Cardiff Blues squad in 2012 and 2013 campaigns. In 2013, she made history in being the first woman to captain a Cardiff Blues side at the Cardiff Arms Park. During this campaign she led the Blues team to be regional champions after a thrilling match against the Ospreys. She openly expressed this as one of her proudest rugby moments. Overlooked by Wales After her most successful season in rugby Hallett was dropped from the Welsh squad and failed to make Rhys Edwards' 2014 Six Nations squad. Hallett has since proclaimed that she voiced her disapproval over the WRU managements decision to withdraw Wales Women from the RBS 6 Nations tournament and into a second tier competition. In leading a player objection and meeting with senior WRU management on the matter it is thought by many that she sealed her own fate, and as a result would never play for Wales again. Being out of the international set up allowed Hallett the opportunity to represent invitational team the Nomads in World Cup 2014 warm up matches against Wales at the National Centre of Excellence and two fixtures against South Africa in their World Cup preparations in England. Her final game came in November 2014 where she led the Cardiff Blues invitational team against the Combined Services, in a special commemorative match marking 100 year anniversary of remembrance, played at the Cardiff Arms Park.
