Nerys, aged 34, gave birth to boys Dewi and Ben on June 24 in Shrewsbury’s Royal Hospital after a mammoth 48-hour labour. But just six weeks later she was back in training, and on Sunday took part in her first full game for Bridgnorth Ladies against Eccleshall, which they won 38-5.
Nerys amazed her team mates by setting up a try for one of her wingers to score and went on to play so well she was voted player of the match. Nerys said her rugby background had possibly helped her through the birth and busy weeks afterwards.
“The labour was tough, but I did find the pushing bit easy,” she said. “Dewi was born first, at 11.38pm, and I had to get Ben out quickly otherwise they would both have had different birthdays! Fortunately be was born at 11.54pm – 16 minutes later.”
Husband Ian “Percy” Arch, himself a rugby player, was there for the birth of Dewi who weighed in at 6lb 6oz and Ben who was 4lb 4oz. Already the boys – the couple’s first children – have their futures marked out. “Dewi is down to be a prop because he’s bigger and Ben to be a hooker because he’s small and can get in and out quickly,” joked Nerys.
Percy took the twins to see the final minutes of their mother’s match on Sunday where they were very popular with all her team mates. “I joke that they have 15 aunties. They do get passed around a lot,” she said.
Nerys has certainly taken the arrival of her boys in he stride. She was at work at Boningale Nurseries where she is a part-time propagator up until six days before the birth. Now she is back there part-time, and also carrying out her duties as chairman of Bridgnorth Ladies Rugby Club which she previously captained for eight years.
She has also returned to Bridgnorth Choral Society, where she is a soprano and soloist, to rehearse for their Christmas programme. All this and twins as well. Is rugby her only secret? “Well, I do have a very supportive husband,” she said.
