Head coach Ioan Cunningham has named the Wales side to face Japan in Round 3 of WXV2 at the Athlone Sports Stadium, Cape Town on Friday, October 11, (kick-off 3pm UK) - with Dragons RFC ace Molly Reardon named among the replacements.
There are three changes to the side that faced Italy, with second row Abbie Fleming, prop Sisilia Tuipulotu and fly-half Kayleigh Powell coming into the starting line-up.
Fly half Lleucu George has been ruled out of the tournament and replaced by Robyn Wilkins in the squad.
Centre Hannah Jones will captain the side for Wales’ final game of the campaign and partners Hannah Bluck in midfield.
Tuipulotu joins Carys Phillips and Gwenllian Pyrs in the front row and Fleming is selected alongside Natalia John in the second row.
The Wales backrow is Alex Callender, Alisha Butchers and Bethan Lewis, while Powell is named at fly half with Keira Bevan at scrum half.
Full back Jasmine Joyce and wings Carys Cox and Nel Metcalfe form Wales’ back three.
Ioan Cunningham, Wales Head coach, said: “We have focussed on ourselves this week and what we do well and what we have to put right after the Italy game. We had an honest review and the message to the players has centred around composure and calmness and finishing the opportunities we are creating.
“Test match rugby is about turning pressure into points, and we have created enough chances in both our previous Test matches, but we need to be more clinical when we get in the red zone against Japan.
“We are disappointed to lose a player of Lleucu’s calibre, but this is an exciting opportunity for Kayleigh Powell, and she will pose a different threat at outside half. Abbie Fleming deserves this opportunity to start at second row and will bring a real physicality to the contest.
“Japan will pose a very different challenge but it’s one the players are aware of, and we have been impressed how they have performance so far in WXV2. The team know that we need finish WXV2 with a big performance for the supporters back home in Wales.
“It’s a game both sides know they need to win to finish on a high and promises to be an exciting Test match.”
Wales team to face Japan: Jasmine Joyce, Carys Cox, Hannah Jones (captain), Hannah Bluck, Nel Metcalfe, Kayleigh Powell, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Abbie Fleming, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis
Replacements: Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Georgia Evans, Kate Williams, Sian Jones, Robyn Wilkins, Courtney Keight.
