Top of the bill is the seniors who begin their Six Nations campaign against Spain at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, (kick-off 4pm). Having won both their autumn warm-up games, Wales will be looking to continue their winning run against a Spanish side they have yet to beat in Six Nations rugby.
New head coach Phil John has stuck with the spine of the side from last season’s World Cup with experience coming in the form of hooker Jamie Kift, No. 8 April Dent and full back Non Evans, who plays her first Six Nations game for over a year following her break for the Commonwealth Games.
There are several new faces on the bench with Dom Atwood, Esther Eckley and Ayla Rose all hoping to win their first cap.
On the same day, Wales Development XV will take on England Students at Cross Keys RFC, kick off 12 noon. This new squad will be playing their first game together as new head coach Wayne Pugh attempts to build a squad capable of putting pressure on the senior side and creating strength in depth.
Captained by Bala’s Lowri Jones, names to look out for include UWIC’s Catrina Nicholas who has come through the U19 ranks and back rower Zoe Eaton. Pontyclun’s Rachel Evans will try to make the hooker position her own whilst scrum halves Kirsty Hudson and Rachel Davies look set for an intriguing battle for the No. 9 shirt.
And if all that wasn’t enough, Wales U19 depart for the NAWIRA festival in Miami on Sunday. This is the first time Wales have sent a side to the week -long tournament.
Wales will be playing for the Crystal Cup, a triangular competition where they play both Canada and America U19’s.
Lead by flanker, Eirlys Lougher, Wales will be looking to return home with two victories as they face England U19 home and away upon their return. Senior squad member Stacey Saunders will start as favourite for the No10 jersey in front of Morriston’s Michaela Reed whilst Denbigh’s Sian Owen is a name to follow in the back row.
WALES SENIORS V SPAIN
1 CATRIN EDWARDS (UWIC)
2 JAMIE KIFT (CLIFTON)
3 KATH LENAGHAN (SWANSEA)
4 HELEN EDWARDS (ABERYSTWYTH)
5 KATH FOALE (SARACENS)
6 MEL BERRY (WASPS – CAPTAIN)
7 KYLIE WILSON (BANGOR)
8 APRIL DENT (CLIFTON)
9 CATH WALKLEY (ABERYSTWYTH)
10 NAOMI THOMAS (UWIC)
11 CLAIRE FLOWERS (CLIFTON)
12 RHIAN WILLIAMS (WASPS)
13 LOUISE RICKARD (SUDBURY)
14 HAYLEY BAXTER (UWIC)
15 NON EVANS (CLIFTON)
16 DOM ATWOOD (CARM QUINS)
17 JENNY DAVIES (UWIC)
18 DAWN MASON (CLIFTON)
19 ESTHER ECKLEY (PONTYPRIDD)
20 AYLA ROSE (LLANDAFF NORTH)
21 KERRY JENKINS (UWIC)
22 AWEN THOMAS (CARM QUINS)
WALES DEVELOPMENT XV V ENGLAND STUDENTS
1 SIAN THOMAS (LLANELLI)
2 NICOLA JOHN (UWIC)
3 CLAIRE HORGAN (SARACENS)
4 RACHEL BROWN (NORTH WALES)
5 JULIE NEWTON (PONTYPRIDD)
6 CATRIN NICOLAS (UWIC)
7 ZOE EATON (UWIC)
8 LOUISE HORGAN (SARACENS)
9 KIRSTY HUDSON (SWANSEA)
10 KAREN MAYZE (LLANELLI)
11 ABBY KING (PONTYPRIDD)
12 LOWRI JONES (NORTH WALES)
13 LOWENA SANDERCOCK (PONTYPRIDD)
14 NICOLA DAVIES (NORTH WALES)
15 NIA HUGHES (PONTYPRIDD)
16 RACHEL EVANS (BRECON)
17 NATALIE BROWN (LLANELLI)
18 LOUISE AKERS (NORTH WALES)
19 EMMA PHILLIPS (PONTYPRIDD)
20 BECKY PRYS-JONES (NORTH WALES)
21 AMY PRYCE (NEWPORT)
22 LUCY BERRY (LLANELLI)
WALES U19 SQUAD TO TOUR USA:
PROPS:
AIMEE JONES (WAUNARLWYDD)
SIOBHAN APPLEBY (DENBUGH)
AMY KELLAND (TYLORSTOWN)
HANNAH ROBERTS (CWMBRAN)
HOOKERS:
SOPHIE WILLIAMS (CAMBERLEY)
LOCKS:
MARIE BANCROFT (UWIC)
VIKKI GAYLARD (LLANDAFF NORTH)
RHIAN REES (CARM QUINS)
STEPH DEW (MORRISTON)
BACK ROW:
RHIAN BOWDEN (PONTYCLUN)
EIRLYS LOUGHER (CARM QUINS – CAPTAIN)
HANNAH TORANGI (PONTYCLUN)
SIAN OWEN (DENBIGH)
SCRUM HALVES:
BECKY DAVIES (BUILTH WELLS)
AMY DAY (LLANDAFF NORTH)
OUTSIDE HALVES:
STACEY SAUNDERS (TYLORSTOWN)
MICHAELA REED (MORRISTON)
CENTRES:
JESS KIDLEY (LLANDAFF NORTH)
PAULA MULLEN (LLANDAFF NORTH)
SARA WELDON (UWIC)
WING/FULL BACK:
GEMMA WILLIAMS (PONTYCLUN)
BECCA STILWELL (CARM QUINS)
ELEN EVANS (DOLGELLAU)
AMY BAKER (CWMBRAN)
