Bethan Dainton

Bethan Dainton
Born (1989-04-12) 12 April 1989
Caerphilly, South Wales, United Kingdom
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Branch
 British Army
Rank
 Bombardier
Unit39th Regiment Royal Artillery
Conflicts
War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
AwardsOperational Service Medals for Afghanistan
Rugby league career
Personal information
Height1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
Weight66.18 kg (10 st 5.9 lb)
Playing information
Rugby union
PositionBack row
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
Bristol Bears
Newport Gwent Dragons
20??–22 Cardiff Harlequins RFC
Total 0 0 0 0 0
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2016–21 Wales 8
2021 Barbarian F.C.
British Army 2 0 0 10
Rugby league
PositionSecond-row, Centre, Wing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2023–25 Leeds Rhinos 41 19 0 0 52
2026– Wigan Warriors 11 8 0 0 32
Total 52 27 0 0 84
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2022–26 Wales 9 4 0 0 16
202?– British Army 0 0
As of 3 August 2026

Bethan Dainton (born 12 April 1989) is a Welsh rugby footballer who has represented Wales in rugby union and rugby league. She currently plays rugby league as a loose forward for Wigan Warriors in the RFL Women's Super League and is the captain of the Wales women's national rugby league team.

Dainton formerly played rugby union as back row for the Wales women's national rugby union team and Harlequins Women in the Allianz's Premier 15s. She made her debut for the Wales national squad in 2016, and represented them at the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship.[1]

Rugby union career

Club career

Dainton has a long-established sporting career, having represented Wales in athletics and cross country in both Union and league codes. However, she did not begin playing rugby until 2015, when she was invited to play for the Dragon's sevens team by Wales player Gemma Rowland.[1]

Dainton then played for Bristol Bears[2] before signing with her current club, Harlequins Women in the Premier 15s.[3]

International career

After joining the Dragon's sevens team in 2015, Dainton represented Wales in both legs of the Rugby Europe Championship in Russia and France, where she helped Wales secure a place in the Women's Sevens World Series Qualifiers in Dublin, Ireland.[1]

In January 2016, she was named in Wales' 28-woman squad for the 2016 Women's Six Nations Championship, and won her first cap in the opening game against Ireland.[1]

A serious foot injury sustained on international sevens duty kept her out of action for nearly all of the 2017/18 season, and after a lengthy period of rehab she switched from wing to back row.[4] Dainton then returned to the international scene as she was called up for the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship. in Wales' opening game against France in the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship[5]

Dainton has won eight caps in her rugby career to date. She has won international caps in both the backs and the forwards.[1]

Rugby league career

Dainton was named as captain of the Wales national rugby league team in October 2023.[6][7]

On 9 November 2025, she left Leeds Rhinos after three seasons.[8]

In November 2025, she signed for Wigan Warriors in the RFL Women's Super League ahead of the 2026 season.[9][10]

Personal life

Bombardier Dainton is enlisted in the British Army, serving with the 74th Battery of the 39th Regiment Royal Artillery. Over the winter of 2010–11, she was posted to Afghanistan, where her squadron provided precision artillery support to 16 Air Assault Brigade in Helmand Province. Dainton was one of 71 soldiers to be awarded their Operational Service Medals for Afghanistan at a ceremony in Newcastle in March 2011.[11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Bethan Dainton". Welsh Rugby Union | Wales & Regions. Archived from the original on 23 April 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "Wales wing Bethan Dainton proving to be a fast learner after 'whirlwind' year". South Wales Argus. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  3. ↑ "Bethan Dainton". www.quins.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  4. ↑ thesportsdragon (5 February 2019). "In The Line Of Fire Bombardier Beth Dainton". The SportsDragon. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  5. ↑ "Dainton praises Mullen's influence following Wales call-up". www.quins.co.uk. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  6. ↑ "Bethan Dainton: Dual-code international made Wales rugby league captain". BBC. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  7. ↑ "Bethan Dainton to Captain Wales against England". rugby-league.com. 24 October 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  8. ↑ Lorraine Marsden (9 November 2025). "Experienced forward leaves Leeds Rhinos". Total RL. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  9. ↑ "Wigan sign dual-code Wales international Dainton". BBC. 18 November 2025. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
  10. ↑ Stephen Ibbetson (19 November 2025). "Wigan Warriors sign dual-code star from Leeds Rhinos". Total RL.
  11. ↑ WalesOnline (4 May 2011). "Soldier Bethan can't wait to see City game at home!". WalesOnline. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  • Profile at the Wales Rugby Union website
  • Profile at the Leeds Rhinos website
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