WXV 2: Opening round team news as Wales face Australia without Tuipulotu

WXV 2 2024 will get underway this Friday as hosts South Africa take on Japan at DHL Stadium (kick-off 16:00, GMT+2).

On Saturday, Australia and Wales – who both competed in WXV 1 in 2023 – meet at the same stadium, kick-off 12:30, before defending champions Scotland take on the team they edged on points difference last year, Italy at 15:00.

Get all the team news for the opening WXV 2 matches below as and when it drops.

South Africa v Japan

Ayanda Malinga will make her first Test appearance in more than two years when South Africa get their WXV 2 campaign underway against Japan on Friday.

Sevens star Malinga last featured in a Test in August 2022 when she scored two tries to help the Springbok Women to a 44-5 defeat of Spain in Johannesburg.

That performance took her tally to 10 tries in only eight appearances for South Africa but she has since focused her energies on the sevens circuit, where she has been a regular in the green jersey.

Malinga made her 15s return earlier this month in a non-cap match against Barbarians Women in Cape Town and she has earned selection for the opening match of WXV 2, coming in for the injured Shaunique Hess.

Experienced prop Babalwa Latsha is the only other change to the starting XV that beat Spain 36-19 at the same venue last Thursday. Azisa Mkiva drops to the bench.

Japan coach Lesley McKenzie, meanwhile, has made four personnel changes from her side’s warm-up defeat to Italy in Piacenza earlier this month.

Tighthead prop Wako Kitano comes into the front row, while there is a start at number eight for Japan’s most-capped woman Seina Saito.

In the backs, Ayasa Otsuka is back at fly-half having started against Italy at inside centre, while Haruka Hirotsu takes the number 12 jersey and Misaki Matsumura is selected on the right wing.

South Africa: 15. Libbie Janse van Rensburg, 14. Jakkie Cilliers, 13. Eloise Webb, 12. Chumisa Qawe, 11. Ayanda Malinga, 10. Nadine Roos, 9. Tayla Kinsey, 1. Sanelisiwe Charlie, 2. Lindelwa Gwala, 3. Babalwa Latsha, 4. Nolusindiso Booi (captain), 5. Vainah Ubisi, 6. Sizophila Solontsi, 7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 8. Aseza Hele.

Replacements: 16. Micke Gunter, 17. Yonela Ngxingolo, 18. Azisa Mkiva, 19. Danelle Lochner, 20. Catha Jacobs, 21. Anathi Qolo, 22. Unam Tose, 23. Zintle Mpupha.

Japan: 15. Sora Nishimura, 14. Misaki Matsumura, 13. Mana Furuta, 12. Haruka Hirotsu, 11. Komachi Imakugi, 10. Ayasa Otsuka, 9. Moe Tsukui, 1. Sachiko Kato, 2. Kotomi Taniguchi, 3. Wako Kitano, 4. Yuna Sato, 5. Otoka Yoshimura, 6. Masami Kawamura, 7. Iroha Nagata (captain), 8. Seina Sato.

Replacements: Asuka Kuge, 17. Manami Mine, 18. Nijiho Nagata, 19. Kyoko Hosokawa, 20. Jennifer Nduka, 21. Megumi Abe, 22. Rinka Matsuda, 23. Kanako Kobayashi.

Australia v Wales

Wallaroos head coach Jo Yapp has made one change to her starting line-up as Australia attempt to avenge last Friday’s warm-up defeat to Wales.

Arabella McKenzie comes in at fly-half for Faitala Moleka, who drops to the bench, and will partner scrum-half Layne Morgan at DHL Stadium.

The only other change to the matchday squad comes among the replacements, where Cecilia Smith is included in place of Lori Cramer.

Wales coach Ioan Cunningham has made four changes to the side that secured an historic victory against Australia last week, all of which come in the forwards.

The Welsh Rugby Union confirmed on Wednesday that prop Sisilia Tuipulotu will miss the match due to a “delay in arranging Tuipulotu’s visa to enter South Africa as a result of unforeseen circumstances”.

Her place at tighthead has been taken by Donna Rose, who lines up in the front row alongside Gwenllian Pyrs and returning hooker Carys Phillips.

Natalia John is also back at lock, and partners Georgia Evans, while Alisha Butchers returns to the back row where she will line up at blindside flanker, alongside openside Kate Williams and number eight Bethan Lewis.

Prop Jenni Scoble is set for her Test debut off the bench, while Welsh Rugby Writers' Association women's Player of the Year Alex Callender and squad captain Hannah Jones are back among the replacements.

Australia: 15. Caitlyn Halse, 14. Maya Stewart, 13. Georgina Friedrichs, 12. Trilleen Pomare, 11. Desiree Miller, 10. Arabella McKenzie, 9. Layne Morgan, 1. Bridie O’Gorman, 2. Tania Naden, 3. Eva Karpani, 4. Kaitlan Leaney, 5. Michaela Leonard (captain), 6. Siokapesi Palu, 7. Ashley Marsters, 8. Tabua Tuinakauvadra.

Replacements: 16. Tiarna Molloy, 17. Lydia Kavoa, 18. Alapeta Ngauamo, 19. Atasi Lafai, Lucy Dinnen, 21. Natalie Wright, 22. Cecilia Smith, 23. Faitala Moleka.

Wales: 15. Jenny Hesketh, 14. Jasmine Joyce, 13. Carys Cox, 12. Kerin Lake, 11. Nel Metcalfe, 10. Lleucu George, 9. Keira Bevan (captain), 1. Gwenllian Pyrs, 2. Carys Phillips, 3. Donna Rose, 4. Natalia John, 5. Georgia Evans, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Kate Williams, 8. Bethan Lewis.

Replacements: 16. Molly Reardon, 17. Abbey Constable, 18. Jenni Scoble, 19. Abbie Fleming, 20. Alex Callender, 21. Sian Jones, 22. Kayleigh Powell, 23. Hannah Jones.

Italy v Scotland

Italy head coach Giovanni Raineri has made four personnel changes to the team that beat Japan in Piacenza earlier this month as lock Giordana Duca wins her 50th cap.

Loosehead prop Emmanuela Stecca and hooker Laura Gurioli are recalled to the front row, alongside tighthead Sara Seye, while Ilaria Arrighetti is selected at blindside flanker and Beatrice Veronese shifts to the openside.

Emma Stevanin is handed the number 10 jersey, in place of Veronica Madia who drops out of the matchday 23 completely.

Meanwhile, Vittoria Zanette has been named as a replacement and the prop will make her Test debut if called upon at DHL Stadium, becoming Azzurra number 220.

Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm will also reach 50 caps when she leads out her country for the opening match of their WXV 2 title defence in Cape Town.

Malcolm is one of 10 players who retain their place from the 59-15 warm-up victory against Fiji in Edinburgh two weeks ago.

Tighthead prop Christine Belisle returns to the front row, while Fi McIntosh gets the nod to partner Sarah Bonar in the second row. Evie Gallagher is back at number eight, meanwhile, and will line up between Malcolm and Rachel McLachlan.

In the backs, Helen Nelson returns to the number 10 jersey and will start alongside scrum-half Caity Mattinson, while Meryl Smith shifts to inside centre. Coreen Grant swaps the number 11 jersey for 14 with Francesca McGhie back on the left wing.

Italy: 15. Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14. Aura Muzzo, 13. Sara Mannini, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Francesca Granzotto, 10. Emma Stevanin, 9. Sofia Stefan, 1. Emmanuela Stecca, 2. Laura Gurioli, 3. Sara Seye, 4. Sara Tounesi, 5. Giordana Duca, 6. Ilaria Arrighetti, 7. Beatrice Veronese, 8. Elisa Giordano (captain).

Replacements: 16. Vittoria Vecchini, 17. Gaia Maris, 18. Vittoria Zanette, 19. Alessandra Frangipani, 20. Francesca Sgorbini, 21. Sofia Catellani, 22. Michela Sillari, 23. Beatrice Capomaggi.

Scotland: 15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Coreen Grant, 13. Emma Orr, 12. Meryl Smith, 11. Francesca McGhie, 10. Helen Nelson, 9. Caity Mattinson, 1. Anne Young, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Christine Belisle, 4. Fi McIntosh, 5. Sarah Bonar, 6. Rachel Malcolm (captain), 7. Rachel McLachlan, 8. Evie Gallagher.

Replacements: 16. Elis Martin, 17. Lisa Cockburn, 18. Elliann Clarke, 19. Louise McMillan, 20. Alex Stewart, 21. Leia Brebner-Holden, 22. Lisa Thomson, 23. Lucia Scott.