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Five Six Nations changes for Wales, including a new cap on the wing
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.
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.
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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Comments on RugbyPass
Etzebeth went on to say: “I would never dream of saying that systems stay in place following a change in captain. To say that would be deeply, deeply, disrespectful of Siya. A while back an Irish person told me they would be fine without Sexton, so I’m just responding to that.”
3 Go to commentsClose games are what we want to see…. What a match it was…. I am sure that everyone was drained by the end of it. The reality of it all there has to be a winner and a loser. The fact that we still talking about it is almost 6 months to the day Rugby is the winner.. Asante sana… Here is to 2027 and what it will bring out.
181 Go to commentsIt’s going to be a good game. COYQ
1 Go to comments“Shock”, the guy was casually saying he was just slightly surprised. Nowadays if you say anything it gets taken completely out of context. Calm down everyone.
155 Go to commentsAll I can say after reading this bitter, sour, sad piece is… Thank you very much! This will be read in the change room just before kick off on 31 August…
181 Go to commentsLook, we know contradicting opinions and wacky comments bring readers and clicks, so well done to RP for allowing always-wrong-Ben to say something here. However RP needs to put a disclaimer next to his comments for their own credibility. NZ was and is incapable of acknowledging their opp beating them. They refused so with Ire and with Arg in 2022 and also the Boks in 2023 x 2. Nothing Ben says here holds water, NZ attacked backwards, except when Kolisi and Kolbe was off And cyncialy took out Bongi, we played without lineouts for 75mins. Kolisi and Kurt-Lee almost scored twice. Thats 3 vs 2 for Boks, but the Boks opportunities was legal. Boks should have been 16-3 up by half time. Tacticaly the Boks attacked better defended better scrummed better (without a hooker) kicked better and crossed the whitewash more times. Boks beat Fr Eng Nz to win in 23, comeon give some credit at least. Even Federer Verstappen NY Mets, Mamoa, was able to see a great human sport achievement by the Boks and their DNA Boks #RWC27 !🏉
181 Go to commentsForget the 85kg bit, that can become something else. However I do like the one off test on ANZAC day idea. SR plays Fri/ Sat, test players travel Sunday and the squads have the full week together before playing Saturday. Rest of SR has a week off. Either involve women's teams in same location or in the other country and rotate annually. Herbert is right in that change is needed.
3 Go to commentsI’ve read loads of nonsense before but this article takes the cake. Or perhaps someone changed the date for April Fool's Day.
3 Go to commentsReally Rugbypass? Ben Smith I think you forgot what the Springboks did to the All Blacks at Twickenham 8 weeks earlier? Springboks 35 All Blacks 7. There is alot of ifs and buts in your article. The All Blacks threw the sink at the Springboks and unfortunately they were not good enough regardless if they played with 14 men or not. It was the Springboks who forced the All Blacks to make mistakes! Sorry but not Sorry the Springboks is the best ever Rugby World Cup Nation in the world. 4 Cups baby!
181 Go to commentsYou just backed the Boks with that fantastic review! Well done! Have some cake!
181 Go to commentsBen Smith please write up something better than this. The Springboks would have won the world cup if you were 15 men on the field. They would have found a way, they always find a way to beat the All Blacks.
181 Go to commentsWow, there is a lot of “could have” and “ should have” in this waist of time dribble. I love the desperation in this story to search for a glimpse at a silver lining. Here are the facts, NZ was a badly coached and undisciplined shadow of their former glory. They never took the lead in a game they were never going to win.
181 Go to commentsGOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
3 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
181 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
2 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
181 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
181 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to comments