Alex Matthews will captain the Pink Roses for the primary time once they tackle USA of their WXV 1 opener in Vancouver at 8.30pm on Sunday.
Matthews, who is ready for her seventieth cap, leads a beginning XV which additionally consists of two worldwide debutants in Bristol Bears centre Phoebe Murray and Loughborough Lightning wing Bo Westcombe-Evans.
Assault coach Lou Meadows mentioned: “We have been building on our game for the past eight weeks towards our WXV opener against USA. This group of girls are excited for their opportunity to attack the tournament right from the start for the Red Roses this Sunday.
“We perceive our actuality and simply need to get enjoying.”
Lucy Packer and Zoe Harrison hyperlink up within the half-back positions with Jess Breach, Emily Scarratt and Ellie Kildunne retaining their positions within the backline following the 24-12 warm-up win over New Zealand.
Flanker Georgia Brock begins whereas Rosie Galligan returns from harm to associate Abbie Ward within the second row.
The entrance row of Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies and Sarah Bern stays the identical and Morwenna Talling completes the forwards from blindside flanker.
England gained final 12 months’s inaugural WXV event, and they’re going to go on to play New Zealand and Canada after Sunday’s opener.
Pink Roses staff to play USA
15 Ellie Kildunne (Harlequins, 45 caps)
14 Bo Westcombe-Evans (Loughborough Lightning, uncapped)
13 Emily Scarratt (Loughborough Lightning, 113 caps)
12 Phoebe Murray (Bristol Bears, uncapped)
11 Jess Breach (Saracens, 40 caps)
10 Zoe Harrison (Saracens, 51 caps)
9 Lucy Packer (Harlequins, 23 caps)
1 Mackenzie Carson (Gloucester-Hartpury, 17 caps)
2 Lark Atkin-Davies (Bristol Bears, 59 caps)
3 Sarah Bern (Bristol Bears, 63 caps)
4 Rosie Galligan (Saracens, 16 caps)
5 Abbie Ward (Bristol Bears, 66 caps)
6 Morwenna Talling (Sale Sharks, 15 caps)
7 Georgia Brock (Gloucester-Hartpury, 1 cap)
8 Alex Matthews (Gloucester-Hartpury, 69 caps) – captain
Replacements
16 Amy Cokayne (Leicester Tigers, 76 caps)
17 Kelsey Clifford (Saracens, 8 caps)
18 Maud Muir (Gloucester-Hartpury, 32 caps)
19 Zoe Aldcroft (Gloucester-Hartpury, 55 caps)
20 Maddie Feaunati (Exeter Chiefs, 7 caps)
21 Ella Wyrwas (Saracens, 6 caps)
22 Holly Aitchison (Bristol Bears, 32 caps)
23 Helena Rowland (Loughborough Lightning, 31 caps)
Welsh Rugby Union give 37 skilled contracts to ladies gamers
The Welsh Rugby Union has issued new full-time skilled contracts to 37 ladies gamers.
The transfer – which comes as Ioan Cunningham’s squad prepares to face Australia within the WXV2 event in South Africa this weekend – consists of many prolonged two-year offers for the primary time.
The WRU, who first launched full-time offers for 12 of its gamers in January 2022 and subsequently elevated that quantity to 25 for 2023, mentioned the brand new settlement makes Wales one of many best-paid worldwide ladies’s groups on the earth recreation.
Amongst these retained underneath the brand new deal are squad captain Hannah Jones, 76-times capped hooker Carys Phillips, latest matchday skipper Kiera Bevan and Crew GB sevens star Jasmine Joyce.
There are additionally offers for proficient kids Nel Metcalfe, Sian Jones and Molly Reardon, in addition to the likes of Lleucu George, Alex Callender, Abbie Fleming, Sisilia Tuipulotu and Alisha Butchers.
Wales recorded third-place finishes within the Ladies’s Six Nations Championship in 2022 and 2023, however picked up the picket spoon this 12 months with their solely victory coming at house towards Italy.
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