Jones was most recently in action in the international sevens programme, including featuring in the Commonwealth Games for Team Wales. Knight spoke to WRU TV this month about playing high-level rugby whilst at the same time being a mother and studying for a career in midwifery in London.
Head coach Rowland Phillips’s team meet South Africa, Hong Kong and Canada on consecutive weekends in November. The games against the Springboks and the Canucks will take place on the morning of the men’s Under Armour Series matches at Principality Stadium, making it a full day of rugby for supporters in Cardiff.
With an average age of 22, the Wales squad have been put through their paces by Phillips and his assistant coaches, Gareth Wyatt and the newly-appointed Hugh Gustafson. “We’ve got a limited amount of time together in camp before we face South Africa,” explained Phillips. “We know the Springboks have really pushed on their rugby programme, and they’ll be a big and physical challenge to kick-start our autumn series.
“We’re familiar with Hong Kong after the World Cup last year. Even though we won with a bonus point in Dublin, we’ll admit we got our nose bloodied in that match. They play a quick game because they’ve got a lot of speed and agility in their side, so that encounter might warrant a different selection approach to the others.”
Canada represent another World Cup reunion for Wales, which Phillips suggested could be the toughest, yet most informative, test of the autumn: “With Canada being fourth in the world, that’s a great way for us to finish off our autumn series. How we perform in that match will give us clarity on how we move forward.”
Forwards:Â Alisha Butchers (Scarlets) Alex Callender (Scarlets) Mel Clay (Ospreys) Gwen Crabb* (Ospreys) Amy Evans (Ospreys) Georgia Evans (Cardiff Blues) Nia Gwyther (Scarlets) Cerys Hale (Dragons) Sioned Harries (Scarlets) Cara Hope (Ospreys) Natalia John (Ospreys) Manon Johnes (Cardiff Blues) Kelsey Jones (Ospreys) Beth Lewis (Dragons) Brea Leung (RGC) Siwan Lillicrap (Ospreys) Maisie McKenzie (Scarlets) Carys Phillips (Ospreys) Awen Prysor (Scarlets) Gwenllian Pyrs (RGC) Caryl Thomas (Dragons)
Backs:Â Sasha Bailey (Ospreys) Keira Bevan (Ospreys) Hannah Bluck (Dragons) Ffion Bowen (Ospreys) Bethan Davies (RGC) Alecs Donovan (Ospreys) Jodie Evans (Scarlets) Lleucu George (Scarlets) Emma Hennessy (Ospreys) Hannah Jones (Scarlets) Jasmine Joyce (Scarlets) Jessica Kavanagh (RGC) Jade Knight (Dragons) Kerin Lake (Ospreys) Caitlin Lewis (Scarlets) Ffion Lewis (Scarlets) Alicia McComish (Dragons) Lisa Neumann (RGC) Molly Philpott (Cardiff Blues) Anghard De Smet (Cardiff Blues) Lauren Smyth (Ospreys) Niamh Terry (Ospreys) Megan Webb (Cardiff Blues) Robyn Wilkins (Cardiff Blues)
Wales Women’s Autumn Fixtures – Cardiff Arms Park:
Saturday 10th November – Wales v South Africa (11:30)
Friday 16th November – Wales v Hong Kong (19:00)
Saturday 24th November – Wales v Canada (11:30)
