Wales Head coach Ioan Cunningham has named the squad for the crucial WXV play-off clash against Spain at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, June 29 (kick-off 5.35pm) - and he includes Molly Reardon from Dragons RFC.
The 33-player squad has a 16 backs and 17 forwards split and will come together the week after Premiership Final between Gloucester-Hartpury and Bristol Bears on Saturday, June 22nd.
Centre Hannah Jones has been named captain of the squad that includes uncapped hooker Rosie Carr and prop Jenni Scoble and sees the return of centre Meg Webb and wing Carys Williams Morris.
Full-back Jenny Hesketh, scrum half Sian Jones, wing Catherine Richards, hooker Molly Reardon and Number 8 Gwennan Hopkins, who all made their Wales debuts in the recent Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign, are all named in the squad.
Wales and Spain have qualified for the new global WXV tournament but the winner of the clash in the Welsh capital will qualify for WXV2 in South Africa with the runner-up playing in WXV3 in Dubai.
Wales beat Italy 22-20 in the final game of the Women’s Six Nations front of a record 10,592 crowd at the Principality Stadium at the end of April.
Wales will face a Spain side that won the last Test match between the two sides 29-5 back in November 2019. Spain won their last Test match when they beat Sweden 53-0 in the European Championship.
Welsh broadcasters S4C will broadcast the all-important Test match live on its channel.
Ioan Cunningham, the Wales Head coach, said: “All of the players, coaches and staff know how big this game is for all of us. Qualification for WXV2 and the 2025 World Cup in England is at stake.
“The matchday squad for Spain will be selected from these 33 players and those involved in the Prem Final between Gloucester-Hartpury and Bristol will join us on the Monday of the Test week.
“Spain’s preparation with two games against Canada A at home shows how seriously they are taking the Test match, and they will come to Cardiff full of ambition and will want to make a statement.
“We are very clear about what we have to achieve, and we need to use the victory in the final Six Nations game against Italy as a platform to build some momentum.
“Focussing on our game, how we want to play and our attention to detail will be key for us for what is a major Test match.”
Wales Squad v Spain:
Backs: Jenny Hesketh, Courtney Keight, Nel Metcalfe, Lisa Neumann, Carys Williams Morris, Hannah Jones (captain), Kerin Lake, Catherine Richards, Meg Webb, Carys Cox, Hannah Bluck, Lleucu George, Niamh Terry Robyn Wilkins, Keira Bevan, Sian Jones
Forwards: Abbey Constable, Gwenllian Pyrs, Molly Reardon, Carys Phillips, Rosie Carr, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Donna Rose, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Natalia John, Kate Williams, Bryonie King, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Georgia Evans, Bethan Lewis, Gwennan Hopkins.
