| Venue: Northland Occasions Centre, Whangarei Date: Sunday, 9 October Kick-off: 05:45 BST |
| Protection: Dwell on BBC Radio Wales, Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport web site and app. |
Quantity eight Siwan Lillicrap will captain Wales’ squad for the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Centre Hannah Jones had led Wales within the final two matches in opposition to Canada and England, with Lillicrap named on the bench for each video games.
Jones has been named as vice-captain, with Lillicrap main the 32-strong squad.
“Siwan is a superb captain on and off discipline,” mentioned Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham.
“She has an awesome tactical thoughts and an understanding of what calls to make at what second.
“Her communication with referees and her sport administration abilities are second to none. She actually advantages the crew in some ways.”
Cunningham believes Lillicrap and Jones will “complement one another” in main a squad that features 18 forwards and 14 backs.
“We’re rising our management group and Hannah has led the crew by instance in opposition to Canada and England this summer season,” added Cunningham.
“Her work ethic is excessive and she or he goes to be a robust chief too. Hannah is studying so much from Siwan and the 2 have labored collectively in current weeks.”
Wales open their Pool A marketing campaign in opposition to Scotland on Sunday, 9 October earlier than going through hosts New Zealand on 16 October after which Australia six days later.
The 12-team event is cut up into three teams of 4, with the highest two from every pool and the main two third-place sides qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Fabulous 4
Quantity eight Sioned Harries, fly-half Elinor Snowsill and prop Caryl Thomas are set to take part of their fourth World Cup.
It’s a particular second for Harries who had been omitted from the squad in 2020.
“It means so much to get to New Zealand,” mentioned Harries.
“It can style sweeter primarily based on what I’ve gone via, being away from the squad for 3 years.
“I’ve all the time had excessive requirements for myself however I will practice full-time now, so it is a World Cup the place I’ve excessive expectations for myself and I need to make myself, my household, my team-mates and my mates proud.”
Nineteen gamers may make their event debuts, together with 19-year-old Sisilia Tuipulotu.
One other participant who may make her first World Cup look is Lowri Norkett, whose sister Elli performed within the 2014 World Cup earlier than she tragically handed away in 2017, aged 20.
Norkett has additionally accepted the supply of a full-time contract till the top of the yr, whereas Abbie Fleming and Robyn Wilkins transfer from part-time to full-time contracts in step with all different squad gamers.
“It has been a little bit of a whirlwind,” mentioned centre Norkett.
“From getting my first cap in Canada, to getting a contract as much as December, to reserving my ticket to New Zealand, it has been an unimaginable month.
“I feel coaches reward exhausting work and despite the fact that I did not get a contract the primary time round, I saved working exhausting and it is paid off.
“My fondest reminiscences of Elli are of going to look at her in France within the 2014 Rugby World Cup when she was simply 17.
“It is wonderful I’ll do the identical now. She’s been my inspiration each time.
“I’ve needed to work very exhausting to attain this whereas all the things got here very straightforward to her. I am a bit misplaced for phrases to be trustworthy. My household and fiancé are clearly very proud.”
Wales are additionally capable of choose centre Kerin Lake, wing Lisa Neumann and ahead Georgia Evans, who’ve been recovering from long-term accidents.
It’s also a particular call-up for Lake, who’s fulfilling her long-time dream of constructing it to a World Cup having missed out on two, the primary after giving delivery to nine-year-old son Jacob.
“It is a bit surreal,” mentioned Lake.
“I do know the coaches have taken a bet on me as I have been combating again from damage for a lot of the summer season.
“As soon as it sinks in I simply need to do all the things I can to kick on now and hopefully get on the pitch for the crew.
“I would not be right here if I hadn’t been a part of the full-time programme from a rehab viewpoint.”
Gamers who’ve missed out embody Caitlin Lewis, Eloise Hayward, Liliana Podpadec and Manon Johnes.
Testing build-up
Wales have misplaced their final 5 matches going into the World Cup, together with a 73-7 defeat to England.
“We have had two robust warm-up matches, which was precisely what we wanted, and we’re simply very excited at what’s in entrance of us,” added Cunningham.
“We’re delighted with the group we have settled on, we’re actually wanting ahead to seeing what we are able to do after we contact down in New Zealand subsequent week.
“There have been a couple of sturdy discussions and you’re all the time taking a look at combos, situations we may face over a protracted interval in New Zealand and importantly, methods you will get the perfect gamers on the pitch. However total we’re happy with the place we’re.”
Wales Rugby World Cup squad
Backs: Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears), Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury), Hannah Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears), Kerin Lake (Gloucester-Hartpury), Lisa Neumann (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ffion Lewis (College of Worcester Warriors), Lowri Norkett (College of Worcester Warriors), Kayleigh Powell (Bristol Bears), Elinor Snowsill (Bristol Bears), Niamh Terry (College of Worcester Warriors), Megan Webb (Bristol Bears), Robyn Wilkins (Exeter Chiefs), Carys Williams-Morris (Loughborough-Lightning).
Forwards: Alisha Butchers (Bristol Bears), Alex Callender (College of Worcester Warriors), Gwen Crabb (Gloucester-Hartpury, Georgia Evans (Saracens), Kat Evans (Saracens), Abbie Fleming (Exeter Chiefs), Cerys Hale (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sioned Harries (College of Worcester Warriors), Cara Hope (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natalia John (College of Worcester Warriors), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), Gwenllian Pyrs (Bristol Bears), Donna Rose (Saracens), Siwan Lillicrap (Gloucester-Hartpury, capt), Carys Phillips (College of Worcester Warriors), Caryl Thomas (College of Worcester Warriors), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester-Hartpury).
