Wigan Warriors teen, Jenna Foubister, aims to build on dream year.

[josie andrews]

WIGAN WARRIORS halfback Jenna Foubister can’t quite believe the twelve months she has just experienced.

A year ago the 18-year-old was preparing for a third season with the Academy side at The Brick Community Stadium, but soon after the Super League season started, coach Denis Betts promoted her to the first team.

She marked her Super League debut with a try in a 102-0 win over Huddersfield in May, and went on to score a total of six in ten appearances.

That form brought an England call-up for November’s Test against Wales, and although she didn’t make the matchday 17, she has retained her place in the squad and could make her international debut against Australia in Las Vegas on March 2.

“Last year was the most unexpected season for me,” said Foubister.

“I thought I’d be playing in the Academy all year, but I didn’t even get a game there before I moved up to the first team.

“To then play there, go on to be picked to play against Yorkshire in the Origin team and then get into the England squad to play Wales was just unbelievable.

“I didn’t think any of that would happen, so I’m really proud of what I achieved.

“Now I just want to get more experience at the top level and move my game forward.

“I definitely feel more prepared for the season ahead than I did this time last year and the experience I gained will help me moving forward.

“I would love to get an England game under my belt so I just need to work as hard as I can over the next couple of weeks to earn myself a spot in the team.

“But even if I don’t play this time it will still be a great experience to go out there with the girls.”

https://www.totalrl.com/wigan-warriors- ... ream-year/

[josie andrews]

Foubister: Big steps

* Jenna Foubister on her debut season, joining the England Senior squad and a once in a lifetime trip to Las Vegas.

* Foubister: “It’s been big steps and getting picked for England is probably going to be one of the highlights of my career, especially at just 18-years-old.”

* Read from fellow Warrior Anna Davies HERE who is also in the travelling England Squad for the Las Vegas showdown against the jillaroos.

JENNA FOUBISTER HAS REFLECTED ON THE ‘BIG STEPS’ SHE HAS TAKEN IN THE LAST 12-MONTHS SINCE BEING PROMOTED TO DENIS BETTS’ WIGAN WARRIORS WOMEN’S FIRST TEAM SQUAD AS SHE HEADS TO LAS VEGAS WITH THE ENGLAND WOMEN’S SQUAD.

Jenna Foubister was promoted to Denis Betts’ Women’s first team from the Greenmount Girls Academy in May 2024 and her career has taken off in the nine-months that have followed. She made a try-scoring debut in a 102-0 victory away at Huddersfield Giants, helped lift the Women’s Nines Trophy in July 2024 before being called-up to the Senior England set-up ahead of the November test aged just 17. Now, she is heading to Las Vegas with a chance of coming face-to-face with the Jillaroos at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday 1 March.

Speaking on her season in 2024, Foubister said: “It’s been surreal. It’s like a girls dream come true, really.

“I didn’t expect to make my debut in my first year after being brought up from the Academy, but when you get brought up, you’ve just got to step up to the challenge.”

She added: “I made my debut then picked up a bit of an injury, so I had to work hard to come back again, which was fine and then from there it’s just been big steps and getting picked for England is probably going to be one of the highlights of my career, especially at 18-years old.”

Her good form in the Warriors side of 2024 earned her a call-up to Stuart Barrow’s England training squad ahead of their November test against Wales, though she wasn’t selected in the matchday team. On her first experience going into England camp, she said: “I was terrified, to be honest, but everyone was really nice and I feel like I’m comfortable now around everyone in the squad, especially spending a lot of time with them going to Las Vegas.”

The young half-back has continued to work hard since and was given the good news that she had made the cut for the 20-player squad heading to the historic match in Las Vegas: “We’ve been training since November, training every few weeks before the squad went from from 31 to 20.

“It’s a massive cut and there’s 11 people that have missed out, you’re going over there and there’s still three people who aren’t going to play, but just being in that environment will be the best experience for everyone. I was very nervous [waiting for Stuart Barrow’s decision] but when I found out I was buzzing. It was only quick because he had lots of people to speak with, but it was short sweet and he congratulated me.”

On the trip to Las Vegas where England will take on Australia’s Jillaroos at Allegiant Stadium in a showcase day of Rugby League featuring Wigan Warriors, she added: “It’s going be that once in a lifetime opportunity, really and I think it’s going to be great. Obviously we’ve got, we’ve got a job to do over there first, so we’re heading over with a focus on what we’ve got to do.

“After the game on Saturday we’ll have that chance to relax, we get Sunday morning to go and see what we want, take some rime to explore Vegas a little bit, which will also be nice after all the hard work to enjoy some downtime and see a new place.”

“I don’t have an England cap yet, so I have to step up to the challenge and try and prove my worth. It’s the experience I’ll be taking in more than anything, there’s a lot of International fixtures to come up and I’m only young but my dream is to play for England so that’s all I want to do now is stay focused and work towards getting my England debut, whether that comes this week or in the future.”

posting.php?mode=reply&t=46019