Hannah Jones will captain a Wales team based around the squad that secured WXV1 qualification through the 2023 Six Nations campaign, with two new faces in the matchday squad set to make their Wales debuts.
Worcester Warriors Carys Cox is selected on the wing and will make her Wales debut, while Wales U20s full-back Nel Metcalfe is named on the bench. Both have impressed in training during the summer training camps.
Jasmine Joyce, a double Olympian, returns to the Wales side and starts at full-back for the first time since the 2023 World Cup in New Zealand. Robyn Wilkins starts at fly-half and will win her 66th Wales cap against the USA.
Prop Donna Rose is named on the replacements bench and returns to action for the first time since the World Cup.
Ioan Cunningham, the Wales Head coach, said: “This will be a real Test for us against USA and we will find out where we stand after a really tough pre-season. The USA beat us last time out and beat the Wales U20s in the summer.
“We have worked hard all summer and the benefits of a proper preparation time have proved really invaluable but there is no substitute for playing a Test match. As coaches and players, we will find out where we stand against the USA before we head to the WXV1 in New Zealand in October.
“The coaches have been impressed with Carys Cox since she joined us this summer and she deserves her opportunity to make her Wales debut. Nel Metcalfe was one of the Wales U20s to join us in the extended WXV training squad and she has impressed us all in training and is a player of real potential.
“We are delighted to welcome back Jaz and Donna and they have brought real experience and a competitive edge to training, to have them back in the Wales squad is a real boost after being unavailable last season.
“The USA missed out on qualification for WXV1, but they are a side packed full of experience and will feel they have a point to prove against us and we are expecting them to be a major challenge for us ahead of what awaits us in New Zealand.
Wales WXV Fixtures
- Canada v Wales, Saturday, October 21st, Sky Stadium, Wellington (KO: 4pm local time)
- New Zealand v Wales, Saturday, 28th, Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin (KO: 4pm local time)
- Australia v Wales, Friday, November 3rd, Go Media Mount Smart Stadium, Auckland (KO: 7pm local time)
Wales Women v USA Women, Saturday 30 September, Stadiwm CSM, KO 2.30pm:
15 Jasmine Joyce
14 Lisa Neumann
13 Hannah Jones (Capt)
12 Kerin Lake
11 Carys Cox *
10 Robyn Wilkins
9 Keira Bevan;
1 Gwenllian Pyrs
2 Carys Phillips
3 Sisilia Tuipulotu
4 Abbie Fleming
5 Georgia Evans
6 Alisha Butchers
7 Alex Callender
8 Bethan Lewis (Vc)
Replacements:
16. Kelsey Jones
17. Abbey Constable
18. Donna Rose
19. Kate Williams
20. Sioned Harries
21. Meg Davies
22. Lleucu George
23. Nel Metcalfe*
* Uncapped
