Wales head coach Sean Lynn has made two changes to his starting fifteen for the trip to Bristol to face reigning world champions England.

Branwen Metcalfe comes into the side in place of the injured Kate Williams, while Keira Bevan, who started the first round match against Scotland, returns to a starting berth for Seren Lockwood.

Alisha Joyce is set to make her return to international rugby just five months after giving birth to her son.

Joyce, whose wife Jasmine Joyce is on the left wing for Wales, is among the substitutes for their trip to Bristol.

Wales are winless in their first two matches of the 2026 campaign, with two home losses to Scotland and France, and test do not come much tougher than the Red Roses.

England beat Scotland 7-84 at Murrayfield last week, running in 12 tries in a brutal demonstration of the gap in competition between them and the rest of the Six Nations.

The Wales front five is selected for their third Test match in a row, with props Gwenllian Pyrs and Sisilia Tuipulotu and hooker Kelsey Jones in the front row while locks Gwen Crabb and Jorja Aiono are named in the Wales engine room.

Captain Lewis is joined in the back row by Metcalfe and number 8 Bryonie King. Scrum half Bevan partners fly-half Lleucu George at half-back.

Hannah Dallavalle – a late replacement for Carys Cox ahead of the France match – keeps her place alongside the ever-present Courtney Keight in the centres. The Wales back three is Jasmine Joyce on one wing, with Seren Singleton on the other, and Kayleigh Powell continuing at full-back.

Wing Catherine Richards could make her first appearance of the campaign from the bench, while Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Georgia Evans, and Jenna de Vera will all once again provide quality in the later stages.

Joyce makes return to the biggest stage

The biggest surprise in the Wales team, though, is the return of Alisha Joyce just 158 days after giving birth.

The 28-year-old Bristol Bears flanker has only had half an hour of rugby in the Celtic Challenge this season, but her physicality in training has impressed Wales head coach Sean Lynn.

“What I love about Alisha, she’s been chomping at the bit to put that jersey back on since she’s been into camp,” he said.

“She’s been outstanding in training, so it’s exciting to see her coming off the bench.”

Her last game for Wales was the 19-10 win against Japan in WXV2 in South Africa back in 2024, with her wife Jasmine scoring one of Wales’s three tries that day.

“On behalf of all the players, coaches and staff, I cannot say how delighted we are to welcome Alisha back after the birth of Ralphie,” Lynn added.

“It’s a remarkable return to rugby, let alone the Test match arena, and Butch’s diligence and desire to wear the red of Wales again has been an inspiration to all of us.”

England present the toughest test

“It doesn’t get bigger than that and England are the trailblazers in the women’s game and have stolen a march on all of us in the Six Nations,” the Wales head coach admitted.

“They have been professional longer than us, have their own domestic league and that is the reality of the challenge ahead of us. These are the games you want to play and get excited about, and we will know where we stand after what we know will be a huge Test match.

“But this is all about us building our performances and style of play and developing our identity as a team.

“We need to show the same intensity and resilience that we have shown in the opening two games against Scotland and France and do it for longer.

“The grit and resilience we have shown and the ability to dig deep is an attribute we showed against France, and we will need against England.”

Teams

England

Ellie Kildunne; Millie David, Meg Jones (capt), Helena Rowland, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald; Holly Aitchison, Lucy Packer; Mackenzie Carson, Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern; Abi Burton, Delaney Burns; Sadia Kabeya, Marlie Packer, Maddie Feaunati.

Replacements

Connie Powell, Kelsey Clifford, Maud Muir, Haineala Lutui, Demelza Short, Flo Robinson, Zoe Harrison, Jess Breach.

Wales

Kayleigh Powell; Seren Singleton, Hannah Dallavalle, Courtney Keight, Jasmine Joyce; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu; Jorja Aiono, Gwen Crabb; Branwen Metcalfe, Bethan Lewis (capt), Bryonie King.

Replacements

Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Georgia Evans, Alisha Joyce, Seren Lockwood, Jenna De Vera, Catherine Richards

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