Wales dealt triple injury blow ahead of WXV campaign

Sean Lynn’s Wales have suffered a triple injury blow ahead of their WXV Global Series campaign starting.

One week before they take on South Africa at Cardiff Arms Park, 42-cap prop Donna Rose [ankle], as well as Kelsie Webster [hand] and Hanna Tudor [foot] have all been ruled out of their four fixtures.

In the coming weeks, Wales will also play the USA Women’s Eagles prior to a two-match tour of Japan. The 13th-ranked team in the world are aiming to end their one-year spell without a win, which dates back to July 2025.

In place of the injured trio, scrum-half Sian Jones, centre Savannah Picton-Powell and wing Nia Fajeyisan have been called into Lynn’s squad.

Picton-Powell and Fajeyisan have represented Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning in the Celtic Challenge. Jones recently re-signed with JAECOO Premiership Women’s Rugby club Gloucester Hartpury.

This season Fajeyisan represented Great Britain Women’s Sevens in HSBC SVNS Series competition, before an injury sustained with Gwalia Lightning ended her season in December.

The loss of Rose will be the one most-felt by Wales. The 35-year-old, who helped Saracens to a PWR title last season, played in all five of Wales’ Guinness Women’s Six Nations fixtures and has been a mainstay in the squad since 2022.

Neither Tudor nor Webster has been capped for Wales at Test level. The latter started for Lynn’s team against the Barbarians at Allianz Stadium in London. She played the full 80 minutes but did not score a try in the 34-17 win.

Tudor, who is not currently attached to a club, represented Great Britain at HSBC SVNS World Championship events in Valladolid and Bordeaux as the team were relegated to HSBC SVNS 2. She previously won caps for Wales Under-20.

For their four WXV Global Series fixtures, Alex Callender and Kate Williams have been confirmed as co-captains.