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Rugby star Meg Jones will spend this Christmas far from home, flying to India to be the maid of honour at her best friend’s wedding. For Meg, this will mark a very different kind of festive season, one filled with nostalgia for her childhood in Cardiff but also overshadowed by painful memories. The city holds a special place in her heart as the place where she grew up, attending Ysgol Gyfun Glantaf, yet it is also the backdrop to a deeply emotional period in her life. Last year, Meg endured the heart-wrenching loss of both parents within four months—her father to lung cancer and her mother to struggles with addiction.
Although Meg has experienced tremendous success on the rugby field—having been a part of England’s Red Roses team that won the World Cup earlier this year—her personal triumphs have been tinged with sorrow. “It’s where all the bad kind of happened I guess,” she reflected on her hometown, but added with hope, “I know the dark cloud will pass at some point.” Her upcoming trip to India, she believes, will offer her a chance to navigate her grief while sharing poignant memories with Beth, the bride and her childhood friend.
At 29 years old, Meg’s athletic career is at an all-time high. Along with her recent World Cup victory and Six Nations success, she was nominated for the World Rugby Player of the Year. Yet the joy in these milestones is bittersweet, as she longs for the chance to celebrate them with her parents. “They’re all key events you want to share with them, and also for them to be proud of you,” she said, adding, “But I’m a firm believer that they’re still here spiritually, showing us signs from time to time.” These achievements underscore not only her skill on the pitch but also the deep personal loss she continues to face.
The story behind Meg’s family tragedy is profound. Her father Simon, who was Welsh, was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2024 and passed away less than seven months later. Her mother Paula, originally from England and who had battled alcohol addiction for 16 years, found it difficult to cope with Simon’s death. “My mum and dad weren’t together, so I always think it was a bit of a broken heart as well,” Meg explained. Paula died a few months later, in December. Throughout those months, Meg dealt with intense grief, often crying daily and learning that vulnerability can be a pathway toward healing. Though two siblings remain in Cardiff, Meg noted, “We went from a family of five, to a family of three.”
With Christmas invoking many memories, Meg cherishes the small details her mother made special: the “tinsel my mum had put up and it was a bit tacky but I kind of loved it,” and the care her mother took with wrapping presents. After her parents’ separation, she recalled her father’s efforts to make up for what he felt was lacking, gifting her and her siblings inexpensive perfumes tightly wrapped with Sellotape. “It was just the cutest thing, because it showed he cared, and it was the thought that mattered,” she said. Although she knows she will likely shed tears this Christmas, they will be “happy tears as well, not always sad.”
Meg, who now lives in London with her partner Celia, acknowledges that her relationship with Cardiff is now complex—filled with both loving memories and the shadow of loss. She has openly spoken about her mother’s addiction, which went from casual drinking to alcoholism over many years. “As a child and a daughter, I had a lot of anger,” Meg said, confiding her confusion over why her mother, despite having “beautiful children,” a “beautiful home,” an “amazing job” as a neuro nurse, struggled with addiction. Paula was described by Meg as a “deep human” who found it hard to discover purpose beyond her work.
Recently, Meg has gained a greater understanding of addiction and now serves as a patron of The Living Room, a Cardiff-based charity dedicated to addiction recovery. Meeting the charity’s founder gave her hope, as she saw “a glimmer of hope in my mum’s eyes.” Tragically, Paula died only three days after this appointment. Meg emphasized the urgent need to combat the stigma surrounding addiction and promote more empathy and care. “From a societal point of view, I think we just look at addiction as, that’s self-inflicted, sort yourself out, that’s it, here’s your leaflet, go and fix it,” she said. “The bottom line is, it’s an illness.”
This Christmas will be the first festive season after the initial shock of loss has settled. For Meg, the wedding in India represents a “silver lining” amidst a difficult time. She expects that she and Beth will spend time in South Goa reflecting on happy moments and shared memories of Meg’s parents, keeping their spirits alive during the holidays despite the pain
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