While Gwenllian Pyrs and Nel Metcalfe are on duty with the senior side facing England at Bristol’s Ashton Gate on Saturday, younger sisters Alaw Pyrs and Branwen Metcalfe will be in action with Wales U18 and the Six Nations U18 Festival in Colwyn Bay.
The Welsh side, coached by former Wales captain Siwan Lillicrap, will play France and Scotland of the first of three days of action in north Wales. Pyrs packs down in the second row in the opening 35-minute match against the French with Metcalfe captaining the side from No 8.
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They will then both be on the bench for the second game against Scotland as Lillicrap gives every player in her squad a start. Joining them both in the pack against France will be Crystal James, whose elder brother Kane played for Wales U18 last year and England U20 in their recent Six Nations title triumph.
This is the third year of Wales competing at U18 level and already three of last year’s team have graduated into the senior squad. Pyrs and outside half Hannah Marshall have both trained with Ioan Cunningham’s squad this season.
“It is a huge step forward for these girls to be able to taste representative rugby at U18 and U20 level before hopefully going on to strengthen the depth of talent available to Ioan when he picks his senior squad,” said Lillicrap.
“Three of last year’s team have already made the jump into the senior ranks and I’ll be telling these girls that the pathway is there for them to follow to ultimately become professional players. Everything is now aligned, and we have the two Celtic Challenge teams, Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning, to give them further experience.
“They are all so excited and proud to be playing in an international tournament that is being hosted on home soil. I want to expose them all to this level of rugby, but they also want to be as competitive as possible.”
As the games against France and Scotland on Good Friday, Wales will meet Ireland and England in two further 35-minute matches on Tuesday 2 April. They will then face Italy in a 70-minute match on Saturday 6 April.
“It is a Festival, and it is an event staged to ease the players into international rugby. This camp is all about setting stands, improving skills and producing good performances,” said Lillicrap.
“We have already had a run out against the Scots in a training game and that went well. Now the bar is set to be raised in Colwyn Bay.
“There will be a little bit more pressure and it will be interesting to see how the girls cope with that. They all want to go out there and do their very best – they’d also like to win!
“We’ve got a great spread of players from across our three development centres and they have mixed very well. They understand this is going to be a step up and it is down to the coaching team to prepare them for that.
“We’ve trained well, they’ve worked hard, and they are beginning to realise what it takes to move up to this level and beyond. I’m sure there are a number of future senior Welsh internationals within this group and that we can help to grow the pool of talent available to Ioan in the not-too-distant future.”
“We’ve trained well, they’ve worked hard, and they are beginning to realise what it takes to move up to this level and beyond. We are fortunate to have great coaches around the team in Jonathan Hooper, Elinor Snowsill and Lucy Brown, who continuously challenge the girls to develop, grow and help prepare them for the next level of the game.
“As a coaching group we’re very excited for the chance this gives to the girls to perform on this stage and to enjoy the unique opportunity playing for Wales brings.”
Wales U18 (v France) Hannah Lane; Marnie George, Hanna Tudor, Isla McMullen, Saran Jones; Hanna Marshall, Lily Hawkins; Crystal James, Shanelle Williams, Evie Hill, Alaw Pyrs, Angel Band, Evie Gill, Lola Mitchell, Branwen Metcalfe (captain)
Reps: Tia Jones, Stella Orin, Elan Jones, Robyn Davies, Jorja Aiono, Seren Lockwood, Katie Johnson, Ffion DaviesWales U18 (v Scotland) Katie Johnson; Ffion Davies, Nia Fajeyisan, Isla McMullen, Saran Jones; Rhiannon Griffin, Seren Lockwood (captain); Stella Orin, Tia Jones, Elan Jones, Tilly Vucaj, Robyn Davies, Begw Ffransis, Milly Geering, Jorja Aiono
Reps: Crystal James, Shanelle Williams, Evie Hill, Alaw Pyrs, Branwen Metcalfe, Lily Hawkins, Hanna Marshall
Match Day 1: Friday 29 March (35 min matches)
Ko 12:00 England v Ireland
Ko 13:00 Italy v England
Ko 14:00 Ireland v Italy
Ko 15:30 France v Scotland
Ko 16:30 Wales v France
Ko 17:30 Scotland v Wales
Match Day 2: Tuesday 2 April (35 Min Matches)
Ko 12:00 Wales v Ireland
Ko 13:00 Ireland v France
Ko 14:00 England v Wales
Ko 15:30 France v Italy
Ko 16:30 Scotland v England
Ko 17:30 Italy v Scotland
Match Day 3: Saturday 6 April (70min Matches)
Ko 12:00 France v England
Ko 14:15 Wales v Italy
Ko 16:30 Scotland v Ireland
WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY . . .
Ireland head coach, Matt Gill: “I’m really looking forward to continuing our Irish U-18 Women’s Six Nations preparations and getting our camps underway. I’m excited to work with Sana, and our management team, and to work with this incredibly talented group of players.”
Scotland head coach, Duncan Harrison: “I’m genuinely excited about our team’s composition after an exciting Girls Regional Game Series and it is great to bring players from the Scottish Qualified programme into the fold. The U18 Six Nations offers each squad member a valuable chance to engage in competitive play, fostering growth and skill development. Reflecting on last year’s festival, we gained invaluable insights, positioning us even stronger this time.”
England head coach, James Cooper: “It was an incredibly difficult challenge to refine the squad to its final iteration, but we are in no doubt of the capable group we now possess. We expect our players to be daring in their approach to these fixtures and deadly in their execution – in attack, defence and the set-piece. We were assured in our performances in 2023, but this is largely a refreshed group with what we believe is the correct balance of experience to go even better this year.”
THE SQUADS
ENGLAND: Kaya Acton, Ashton Adcock, Jasmine Adonri, Daisy Aspinall, Iley Bailey, Grace Banks, Tamsin Baynes, Gabriella Brown, Molly Bunker, Bethan Candlin, Jessica Doyle, Natalee Evans, Zara Green, Evie Haskell, Becca Jackson, Aisha Jah, Hayley Jones, Emily Lunn, Haineala Lutui, Sarah Parry, Heidi Pashaei Tarighoun, Abigail Pritchard, Lucy Simpson, Solana Shaw de Leon, Isabel van der Straaten, Joanne Vosakiwaiwai, Ellie Wilson, Ruby Winstanley
FRANCE: Eva Mazzochi, Léa Guiton, Kiara Vili, Marine Kazmierczak-Douet, Zarasoa Macquart, Anais Peralez, Lena Lamour, Lise Geneste, Perrine Fagnen, Charlie Gauyat, Kalea Berroyer, Aelig Tregouet, Faustine Piscicelli, Margot Sibien, Emy Baudru, Many Barone, Agnes Nau, Elina Folituu, Mankla Dosso, Anna Daniel, Cassandra Leteur, Eva Tougne, Iness Zeze, Maiana Gony, Cherrazade Saiki, Jade Gamon, Mariama Tandiang, Maud Barcelot
IRELAND: Abby Healy, Ailish Quinn, Alma Atagamen, Aoibheann McGrath, Aoife Corcoran, Ava O’Malley, Bronagh Boggan, Caitriona Finn, Cara McLean, Carla Cloney, Clara Dunne, Emily Foley, Emma Brogan, Emma Jane Wilson, Erin McConalogue, Grainne Moran, Jemima Adams Verling, Kate Noons, Leah Irwin, Mia Hennelly, Rebecca Brennan, Sadhbh Wells, Sarah Purcell, Siofra Hession, Sophie Cullen, Sophie McAllister
ITALY: Sara Maria Affinito Giulia, Mary Akosa, Alice Angelucci, Alice Antonazzo, Alia Antonietta Bitonci, Alessia Cagnotto, Beatrice Candela, Valentina Carciani, Elisa Cecati, Chiara Cheli, Chiara Colella, Martina Compare, Rita Da Lio, Carola Fogarin, Laura Lina Foscato, Vittoria Francolini, Angelica Gazzi, Elena Gorgetti, Kristin Camilla Kone, Ester Lepri, Asia Liccardo, Antonella Maione, Anita Pietrobon, Emma Rappo, Ania Rosini, Cecilia Stafoggia, Giulia Turatto, Vittoria Zeni
SCOTLAND: Aisla Merryweather, Daisy Morrison, Ella Rae, Ella Williams, Ellie Moffat, Emily Coubrough, Emily Love, Emily Norval, Faye Sutherland, Gemma Thomson, Georgie Baxter, Hannah Smyth, Hollie Howland, Holly Wilson, Imogen Spence, Isla Pomroy, Josie Foubister, Lisa Brown, Louise Taperell, Megan Riach, Mia Ryrie, Niamh MacGregor, Poppy Mellanby, Rianna Darroch, Scarlet Down, Sophie Price, Talei Tawake, Tamzin Rosie
