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Five Six Nations changes for Wales, including a new cap on the wing

Wales' Carys Phillips (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images)

Wales coach Ioan Cunningham has announced five changes – including one new cap – to his team to host France this Sunday in the latest round of the Guinness Six Nations.

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The Welsh were well beaten 5-36 last Saturday by Ireland in Cork and the response has been to alter four of the backline and one of the pack for the upcoming round four fixture.

Catherine Richards will make her Test debut on the wing in place of the benched Jasmine Joyne. She becomes the fifth new cap during this campaign, with fly-half Mollie Wilkinson poised to make it six off the bench.

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    Full-back Kayleigh Powell has gotten the nod ahead of Jenny Hesketh to make her first start since facing New Zealand in the 2022 Rugby World Cup.

    Courtney Keight is also named on the wing after impressing off the bench against England and Ireland, taking over from Kerin Lake whose midfield spot has gone to Carys Cox, last weekend’s No11.

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    The fourth backline change sees Sian Jones promoted from the bench at scrum-half, with round three No9 Keira Bevan now amongst this weekend’s replacements. In the pack, Natalia John comes in at second row with Georgia Evans switching to No8 in the absence of Bethan Lewis.

    In a WRU media release, Cunningham said: “France are one of the best teams in the world, they are a real force in the world game and are a major challenge for us and are favourites for this Test match.

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    “We have all taken a long hard look at ourselves this week and have stripped our game back and focused on what we have to do. We have drawn a line in the sand, and we need a performance at Cardiff Arms Park.

    “Playing in front of our supporters provides us with an opportunity to show who we are, and we have nothing to lose. We are a good rugby team and we have selected a squad to meet the challenge ahead of us.

    “Catherine Richards has had to wait for her Wales cap and will be the fifth new cap during this campaign. She deserves her opportunity having shown what a threat she can be during the Celtic Challenge and in the PWR. Kayleigh and Courtney have impressed and made an impact when they have come on and deserve their places in the starting line-up.”

    Wales (vs France Sunday): 15. Kayleigh Powell; 14. Catherine Richards, 13. Hannah Jones (capt), 12. Carys Cox, 11. Courtney Keight; 10. Lleucu George, 9. Sian Jones; 1. Gwenllian Pyrs, 2. Carys Phillips, 3. Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4. Natalia John, 5. Abbie Fleming, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Alex Callender (vice-capt), 8. Georgia Evans. Reps: 16. Molly Reardon, 17. Abbey Constable, 18. Donna Rose, 19. Kate Williams, 20. Gwennan Hopkins, 21. Keira Bevan, 22. Mollie Wilkinson, 23. Jasmine Joyce.

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    J
    JW 1 hour ago
    Leicester Fainga'anuku denied All Blacks eligibility for TRC

    I don’t get that. I got the opposite, this was something Lester really really wanted to do. NZR is not going to stop him doing that by putting ridiculous money in front of him (noted you were only asking for fair money).


    I wouldn’t say this was a Mo’unga or Frizell situation where there talent only was unlocked after they signed abroad, when Schmidt and Ryan came in respectively. LF was on a good trajectory, and he just decided he has the perfect window of opportunity to go abroad while he’s not first choice, learn and live in France to come back better and have a good shot at the perfect age. I think he recongised that.


    Agreed that our rotation has been off the the last decade, players have not been moved on when they should, but I wouldn’t include Rieko in that discussion, though I would accept he is more of a marketing than performance signing.


    Also agree it is a strange condunrum that results from the misalligned seasons, where Lester is straight into NPC in the same season almost. When really the ‘start’ of his contract is next year. Is he even going to be on the payroll at the moment? Could it be used as a double dip to encourage players back, a ‘bonus international season’ of match fees.


    But they also don’t want them to become anymore common. So perhaps everything is fine? Like I was alluding to with Toko, they would need multiple markers of their own in Top 14 for them to be able to gauge off. As I’ve said in previous articles I’d be comfortable to expand sabbaticals to 2 in every position (yes a huge change), so that the was a core group of 30 of the top players all aligned with the ABs and overseas at any one time. This would ensure there are good markers to correlate levels of performance amongst everyone. This is a very similar setup/size to South Africa. It is like the AB modem in a wider organism, the vets are shipped off much earlier, and the core of next cycle is brought through. No missing out on the JGPs or Aki’s, no the Antonio’s or young Patrick Tuifua’s to france, keeping the Chandler Cunningham-South’s or Roots brothers, evan this Dubious guy from the French team was playing rugby here in NZ and could have stayed with a more ground up focus on bringing players through, not paying them much etc lol

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