Rickard caps the lot
The 36-year-old school teacher will surpass Gareth Llewellyn’s 92 caps as Wales Women continue their Women’s Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome (12.30pm, Rugby Roma).
She will gain her historic cap on the same weekend that Gareth Thomas hopes to take his Welsh Test tally up to ninety-one with an appearance off the bench at Stadio Flaminio on Saturday. Yet the fact remains that it will be a woman who holds the Welsh cap record for the first time in history as from this weekend.
“I didn’t know until a few weeks ago I was possibly going to overtake Gareth Llewellyn’s mark as the most capped Welsh rugby international. It’s not the sort of thing you think about, although it will be a huge honour for me on Sunday,” said Rickard.
“I still think I’ve got a couple more seasons left in me and it would be great now to go on and reach one hundred caps. This is a great time to be involved in the Wales Women’s team because the set-up is so progressive and professional and the system is creating some great talent.
“We had our best ever season in the Women’s Six Nations last year, when we were runners-up to England, and we also won the European Sevens title. Although we lost to France in our last game we are still on course for a Triple Crown showdown with England at Taffs Well next week.
“It will be the twentieth anniversary of the first meeting between Wales and England and we have yet to beat them at senior level. That is the big game for us and we are prepared to come crawling off the pitch if that is what it takes to win.
“Before then we have to concentrate on the Italians. We beat them fairly comfortably in the pre-season, but they are improving with every game and are bound to give us a hard fight on home soil.
“I’m sure we will put things back on the road against them after the disappointment of the French defeat and that is what really matters this weekend.”
Following his team’s 15-0 defeat in Paris, Wales Women’s Coach Fielies Coetsee and his fellow selectors have made a number of changes. Amy Broadstock moves from hooker to her favoured position of loose head prop with Jenny Davies starting in the No.2 shirt.
Liza Burgess is rested on the bench, giving the opportunity for Gemma Hallett to start in the second row. Naomi Thomas moves from her usual position of fly half to outside centre, swapping places with Rachel Poolman who starts at No.10 for the first time. Non Evans gets the nod over Rhian Williams on the right wing, with Williams moving to the bench.
After impressing in training, UWIC’s Hannah Torangi is called up for her first involvement during this campaign as a forward replacement. In addition, Amy Day takes the place of Becky Davies who is suffering a knee ligament injury.
“We are smarting from the result against France and want to make amends and put the season back on track,” said Forwards Coach Jason Lewis.
“There are a number of key performance issues we have addressed since the defeat, which we hope will allow us to go out to Italy and finish the opportunities we know we can create. It is important that we have a good result to carry us forward into our final Triple Crown deciding game against England.”
Wales Women: Elen Evans (Dolgellau); Non Evans (Clifton), Naomi Thomas (Clifton), Clare Flowers (Clifton), Louise Rickard (Saracens); Rachel Poolman (UWIC), Mellissa Berry (Cardiff Quins, captain); Amy Broadstock (Llandaff North), Jennifer Davies (Waterloo), Louise Horgan (Saracens), Gemma Hallett (Pontyclun), Claire Donovan (Saracens), Catrina Nicholas (Cardiff Quins), Jamie Kift (Clifton), Kylie Wilson (Clifton)
Replacements: Caryl Thomas (Cardiff Quins), Liza Burgess (Clifton), Hannah Torangi (UWIC), Nicola Evans (Wasps), Amy Day (UWIC), Rhian Williams (Wasps), Hannah Szigetvari (Tylorstown)
Wales Women’s Six Nations Fixtures
Wales v Ireland (Taffs Well) Sat 3 Feb, Won 10-5
Scotland v Wales (Dunbar) Sat 10 Feb, Won 10-0
France v Wales (Stade Guy Moquet à Drancy) Sat 24 Feb, Lost 0-15
Italy v Wales (Rugby Roma) Sun 11 Mar 12:30pm
Wales v England (Taffs Well) Sat 17 Mar 2:30pm
