In many families, sport is more than just entertainment, it becomes part of the rhythm of life, a tradition that brings people together. For us, that sport was rugby.
Our mum was never someone who followed every match or every league. But when it came to the Six Nations, she was all in. Those matches were a fixture of our childhood. No matter what was going on, we would all gather around the television as a family, sharing the highs, the lows, and every bit of pride that came with watching Wales play.
As we grew older, that tradition didn’t fade. Even into adulthood, and right up until she passed away, our mum never missed a Wales game in the Six Nations. It was one of her great yearly joys.
She passed away during one of those matches, Wales versus England. At half-time, Wales were winning, but in the second half, England came back to take the game. In the years since, we’ve often joked, with the kind of bittersweet humour only families understand, that she simply couldn’t stay around to watch England win.
After she passed, my brother and I wanted to honour her in a meaningful way. With the little money she left us, we bought Ospreys season tickets, something we’d talked about for years but had never quite managed to do. It felt like the right way to keep rugby, and her memory, close to us.
Since then, we’ve been to nearly every home game. Each match is more than just a sporting event; it’s a reminder of where our love for rugby began, of the countless afternoons spent together, and of the special place the game holds in our family’s story.
The Ospreys have become part of how we stay connected to her, a living tradition built on the one she started. Through every kick, tackle, and try, she’s still there with us in spirit, cheering Wales on just as loudly as she always did.
Gareth
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