Wales Women will face Australia Women in a major Test match at Rodney Parade this September as part of a huge weekend of rugby to kick-off the new season in Newport.
Ioan Cunningham's team have secured a place in the WXV2 tournament in South Africa in September, and ahead of those fixtures the team will play at the home of Dragons RFC in preparation.
Wales will prepare for their WXV2 campaign with a Test match against Wallaroos in Newport on Friday, September 20 (kick-off 7pm) - less than 24 hours before Dragons RFC kick-off the new BKT United Rugby Championship season against Ospreys on home soil on Saturday, September 21.
Ioan Cunningham, Wales Head coach, said: “With qualification for WXV2 and the 2025 World Cup achieved, the players, coaches and staff have deserved a short break, an opportunity to recharge the batteries and time to reflect on what has been a long season.
“The display against Spain saw what we have been working on since the last World Cup come to fruition and we know we have the talent to mix our game and crossing for eight tries.
“We will come together at the end of July to start pre-season to prepare for what will be the beginning of the most exciting and biggest season in the history of women’s rugby, with the World Cup in England on the horizon.
“To prepare we have two Test matches against two nations - Scotland and Australia - who will be in WXV2 and have also qualified for the World Cup and who we have had really close fought games with.
“We know them well and there is a mutual respect, but this is an opportunity to have a look at our squad, to give some young players an opportunity and to develop our game as we head to South Africa.
“Our World Cup preparation will start at the end of July, and we know have the nucleus of our squad, but we need competition for places and to build the depth in the squad ahead of England 2025.
“We have paid close attention to Wales U20s in the Six Nations Summer Series and look forward to the upcoming Transatlantic Quad Series tournament and will reward any player we feel has the potential to make the step up to the senior squad.
“Five players who were under 21 made their debuts in the recent Six Nations campaign and they all showed real potential at the highest level, and it is part of our approach to give young players an opportunity to prove themselves ahead of the World Cup.”
Supporters are advised that full ticketing information for the Test match between Wales Women and Australia Women will be released in due course. Keep checking www.dragonsrfc.wales for all the latest information.
