We chatted to Anna Davies with less than 25 days to go until Las Vegas!
Following a foot injury during her time as a national sprint hurdler, Anna Davies thought her time in sport was over. But now the Wigan Warriors winger is in contention to face the world champions, Australia Jillaroos, in Las Vegas after a whirlwind start to her Rugby League career. The 29-year-old picked up a rugby ball for the first time in her early twenties and scored a hat-trick for GB Teachers against Wales in only her second game of Rugby League back in 2019. Fast forward six years and she’s now cemented herself as a key part of Denis Betts’ Warriors side and made her international debut against France in 2024. “Wow, it’s been so overwhelming," Davies revealed. “When I think back on it, I’m just thankful the way everything happened. When I was younger, I was involved in athletics at junior level and at 17 I got a stress fracture and was out of doing any sport for around five years. “I was wrestling with chronic pain, and I didn’t think I would get the chance to take part in a sport at a high level ever again.” Davies made an explosive debut against France last June scoring twice at the Stade Ernest-Wallon and just a few months later her five-try haul against Wales saw her eclipse the mark for the most individual tries in a game, previously shared by Emily Rudge and Leah Burke. “Behind closed doors, what people didn't see is before I even got into the England set up, I was meeting with Stuart Barrow, doing video and he was telling me what I needed to work on. He’d told me I was coming into the squad, but not yet, I needed to develop. “Then when I actually debuted in France, I remember speaking to him afterwards and telling him that I'm really thankful he did that. Because I started my career late, I had this tendency to give it my all, but probably without always thinking, and that was actually killing my game.” With England facing Australia ahead of the Betfred Women’s Super League season, the train-on squad have had to hit the ground running. “It’s been a really busy start to the year with England training and preseason, but it is also one of those things where you know why you're doing it. Everyone knows that we’ve got a unique opportunity in front of us. “We’re training hard as a group and collectively we know that we have to make sacrifices for this game but the possibility of getting to represent your country against Australia in Las Vegas is a big motivation.” And with the 20-player travelling squad set to be confirmed this weekend, Davies is savouring every moment of the journey no matter the outcome: “You just have to try and get your head down and work hard, but then at other times you do let yourself get excited about it. I think that's okay to some extent because this Vegas game is such a big opportunity. You don't want it to have been and gone without being able to enjoy the process. “It’s just holding in that tension of, you know, it might happen, or it might not. Either way I’m just grateful I’m getting these kinds of opportunities.” Don’t forget, fans are invited to cheer on England Women before they head to Las Vegas when the squad meet for their final training session at Weetwood Sports Park in Leeds on Sunday 16 February (10am-12pm). England Women versus the Australia Jillaroos will be the penultimate match of a quadruple header featuring a Betfred Super League clash between Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves and two NRL matches - Raiders v Warriors and Panthers v Sharks. All four matches will be shown live on Sky Sports – with England v Australia kicking off at 2am UK time. Tickets and travel information can also be found here. Rugby League Las Vegas Festival 2025 – Saturday March 1 
