Head coach Sean Lynn has named the Wales side to face Canada in the second Pool B game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 at Salford Community Stadium, Manchester, on Saturday, August 30 (KO: Midday).
Flanker Bethan Lewis, who will win her 60th cap for her country, will captain Wales for the first time, with co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams missing due to injury.
Backrowers Callender (foot) and Williams (calf) are expected to be fit for Wales’ final Pool B game against Fiji in Exeter.
Prop Gwenllian Pyrs is poised to win her 50th cap for Wales off the bench against Canada.
Head coach Lynn has made seven changes to the starting line-up that faced Scotland in Wales’ RWC opener.
Prop Maisie Davies and hooker Molly Reardon, who have both played for Gwalia Lightning in the Celtic Challenge, are joined by Sisilia Tuipulotu in a new-look front row.
Lock Abbie Fleming partners Gwen Crabb in the Welsh engine room, while skipper Lewis is joined by Gwalia Lightning captain, Bryonie King and Georgia Evans in the backrow.
Scrum half Keira Bevan partners fly half Lleucu George at half-back.
Centre Courtney Keight is joined by Carys Cox in the midfield and wings Jasmine Joyce-Butchers and Lisa Neumann are part of an exciting back three alongside full back Nel Metcalfe.
Backrower Branwen Metcalfe, 18, is named on the Wales bench and poised to make her senior Test debut.
The Wales U20s captain has impressed in training and will play her first game of senior rugby and joins her sister, Nel, in the matchday squad.
The Metcalfe sisters and Gwenllian Pyrs all started their rugby journey at the same community club, Nant Conwy Rugby Club.
Wales have won two of the last ten games against Canada back in 1994 and 2017.
Sean Lynn, the Wales head coach, said: “We have taken a hard look at ourselves and there have been honest conversations about the performance we need against one of the best teams in the world.
“Canada are the number two team in the world and one of the favourites to win the World Cup and we know they will be a major challenge.
“We need to bring real energy and pride in the jersey and the focus all week has been on us and what we need to do to produce a performance on Saturday.
“There have been changes and they have been made because players have earned the opportunity in training to play in a World Cup.
“All 23 players selected have been told to be brave and to have no regrets when they walk off the field on Saturday.
“We are under no illusions of the challenge ahead, but this is all about us and showing what it means to play for Wales at a Rugby World Cup.”
Wales v Canada: 15 Nel Metcalfe (Gloucester/Hartpury), 14 Jasmine Joyce-Butchers (Bristol Bears), 13 Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders), 12 Courtney Keight (Sale Sharks), 11 Lisa Neumann (Harlequins), 10 Lleucu George (Gloucester/Hartpury), 9 Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears); 1 Maisie Davies (Bristol Bears), 2 Molly Reardon (Gwalia Lightning), 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester/Hartpury), 4 Abbie Fleming (Harlequins), 5 Gwen Crabb (Gloucester/Hartpury), 6 Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning), 7 Bethan Lewis (captain, Gloucester/Hartpury), 8 Georgia Evans (Saracens)
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones (Gloucester/Hartpury), 17 Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), 18 Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning), 19 Tilly Vucaj (Gwalia Lightning), 20 Branwen Metcalfe (Hartpury College), 21 Seren Lockwood (Gloucester/Hartpury), 22 Kayleigh Powell (Harlequins), 23 Kerin Lake (Gwalia Lightning)
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