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Wales: meet the next generation hoping to make an impact
By Joe Harvey
It has been a busy three months since Wales exited at the group stages of the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup.
The Welsh Rugby Union have underlined their commitment to using the Celtic Challenge as a key part in the development of their players and have pledged to more than double their annual investment into women’s rugby in the country.
All this with the start of the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations just four months away.
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Sean Lynn’s side begin their campaign at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, where a Scotland team with a new head coach in Sione Fukofuka and support staff will be looking to make an instant impact.
When it comes to Wales, there is a chance that there will be a changing of the guard.
During the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Lynn largely looked to youth in his matchday squads and the players that impressed in last year’s edition of the Celtic Challenge.
Molly Reardon, Tilly Vucaj, Seren Lockwood and Nel Metcalfe were all picked for the tournament after their efforts for Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning.
Two rounds into the 2025/26 a host of players have made their impact known. This ranges from 20-year-old lock forward Alaw Pyrs, who was Player of the Match as Gwalia registered a 38-7 win over their Wales rivals in Round 2.
There are three playmakers that have made good early impressions. Fly-half is not a position that Wales are in dire need of a change. Lleucu George is the incumbent and at 25 is not likely to fall away from Test rugby any time soon. Neither is 26-year-old Kayleigh Powell.
But when players are providing dominant displays, they cannot be ignored. At Gwalia that player is Carys Hughes. In 2025 the fly-half and centre was vice-captain for Wales U20 at the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series and has established herself as a starter for Lightning.
Her partnership with scrum-half Sian Jones has allowed Hughes to register 14 points in two games and a win against Thunder.
Down the road at Brython there are a pair of young playmakers making a mark. Both Hanna Marshall and Ffion Williams are aiming to make the step-up from U20s rugby to the Test side.
Already the pair have traded starts for Ashley Beck’s Thunder. Getting to partner experienced international Ffion Lewis has no doubt aided the pair in those two games. Even so they have looked cool, calm and collected.
Competing with one another for a starting slot, while knowing that match minutes will come from the bench, can only drive the duo to new heights.
Some may have already seen some of Marshall when she represented Great Britain Sevens in HSBC SVNS Series competition in November and December. With a clear, undying desire, to improve her game, Marshall can only continue to see her ceiling rise in the months to come.
Another of those players to have mixed her time with Great Britain playing on the HSBC SVNS Series is Nia Fajeyisan.
The young wing has been one of the bright sparks in a team that has struggled to gain a foothold in Dubai and Cape Town, as well as for Gwalia in the opening two rounds of the Celtic Challenge season.
It was in the second round that her season reached a junction. At Cardiff Arms Park the flyer suffered a grizzly lower leg injury and will be out of action for some time.
Her spell on the sidelines will frustrate the Wales coaching staff. Having only scored six tries at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, addressing a lack of firepower will be at the top of their priorities.
Add in that Lisa Neumann is yet to make an appearance this season or Jasmine Joyce-Butchers’ difficulty to impact a struggling Bristol Bears side, the need for new blood is at an all-time high.
Similarly Courtney Greenway, who capped off a meteoric rise from club rugby to a Great Britain debut in just over 12 months, is another with the potential to play Test rugby.
She scored a try in Lightning’s 35-31 loss to Clovers in the opening round. That score told you a lot about the outside back, who was able to step her opposite number with a relative ease.
In the centres Kelsie Webster has staked a claim for selection. In Gwalia’s win over Thunder last time out, the age grade international got over the whitewash twice and has provided plenty of impact in a backline bustling with talent.
All of these names come before those that made an impact 12 months ago. Seren Lockwood turned 19 just over two months ago, while teen back-row Branwen Metcalfe won her sole cap for Wales at the Women’s Rugby World Cup.
Much of the same goes for Molly Reardon and Maisie Davies, who will want become invaluable to Lynn’s front-row.
There is plenty of time for more to stake a claim too. A date at Principality Stadium awaits.
