Emily Hughes grew up playing playing rugby union - yet on Saturday she was touching down for an historic try in rugby league.

The Pembroke Dock woman, 23, was selected at hooker for Wales Women’s inaugural international fixture against an experienced Great Britain Teachers Side in Neath, and within three minutes barged her way over to open the scoring.

Wales went on to eventually lose 30-6, but it was still a debut to remember for the Cardiff Blue Dragons player who can forever lay claim to being her country’s first female try scorer in the league code.

“I played union in University in Leicester and in that respect it has been a very quick turnaround,” she told Telegraph Sport.

“But a few of us started looking at club leagues for this code and then six weeks ago, I was picked for a Welsh trial.”

The former Pembroke Secondary School pupil then duly impressed in two matches between Cardiff Blue Dragons and Rhondda Outlaws, before an East v West representative matches.

And after being selected to start on Saturday, she promptly justified her selection with what she described as an ‘amazing’ moment.

Hughes will now be looking to retain her starting place when Wales Women play England Lions in Leigh on Saturday, November 16.

The fixtures form the start of plans by the Wales Rugby League association to enter a side in the 2021 Emerging Nations World Cup.

The side are being coached by Bradford Bulls Women Under 19s head coach Craig Taylor, with the 44-year-old combining his duties with both sides.