Wales women begin their Six Nations campaign on Saturday as they host Scotland at the Cardiff Arms Park.

The home side have won each of their last three tests against the Scots, but the visitors will be full of confidence after winning the WXV 2 last Autumn in New Zealand.

Players from both squads featured in the Celtic Challenge at the start of the year, a competition where Edinburgh finished second with the Welsh sides, Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder in fifth and sixth respectively, just ahead of Glasgow Warriors in sixth and last place.

Wales beat Scotland 24-19 the last time the two sides met at Cardiff Arms Park in 2022 and prop Gwenllian Pyrs is expecting another tight encounter.

“Scotland are a tough team to play against, historically we’ve been really close in the past so they’re going to be a big test on Saturday,” said Pyrs.

“They’ve competed really well in the Celtic Challenge and improved a lot giving their players more time to play but they also have players in the Premier 15s as well so I expect they’ll give us a really good game.

“Last year I scored two tries against Scotland, my first two tries for Wales but they are a really physical team and are going to come out firing after the WXV, this is a must win game for both sides.”

With France and England once again looking like the favourites for this years championship, Wales will want to keep their place as best of the rest in third, a position they’ve held in the last two championships.

If they do that, they will once again secure their place in WXV1, the top level of the WXV competition, and a chance to play the best teams in the world.

“We want to finish third in this years championship again so we qualify for the WXV1,” said Pyrs.

“It’s important to do that as we can only be the best if we play against the best, that’s our target in this years championship.”

Gloucester-Hartpury’s Nel Metcalfe made her debut against USA last summer and has already had a taster of the WXV last year when starting at full back against New Zealand.  

“We just want to win, that’s the goal for every team, every player,” said Metcalfe.

“If you’re playing for any other reason then you shouldn’t be playing, we need to put in some good performances for the fans as well and get in WXV1 for next season.

“It’ll mean the world to me to make my debut in Cardiff in front of friends and family, it’ll be an incredible feeling.”

In recent years Wales’ pack has been a huge threat, with Pyrs and Sisilia Tuipulotu in particular, benefiting from their forward dominance.

However, this year, Wales are looking to get the ball wider and utilise the skills of debutant Jenny Hesketh along with Metcalfe and GB Sevens star Jasmine Joyce in an exciting back three.

“With Lleucu George at 10, we’ve got someone who can pass the ball 40 metres across the pitch,” said Hesketh.

“We want to be identifying that space when it’s on and attacking it when the time is right.

“Now we can go through the phases and maybe send the pass out wide a phase earlier, we’ve got grace pace on the edge which will be cool to.

“Lleucu has the all-round skillset and with her kick pass and Shaun Connor, our attack and kicking coach, he’s trying to bring that into our game which is going to be great for us outside backs!”

 

Saturday 23^rd of March – 16:45 at Cardiff Arms Park

Wales: Hesketh; Joyce, H. Jones, Lake, Metcalfe;George, Bevan; Pyrs, K. Jones, Tuipulotu, John, Fleming, Butchers, Callender, Lewis.

Replacements: Phillips, Constable, Rose, Evans, Williams, Jones, Terry, Cox.

Scotland:  Smith; Lloyd, Orr, Thomson, Grant; Nelson, Mattinson; Bartlett, Skeldon, Belisle, Wassell, Bonar, Malcolm, Stewart, Gallagher.

Replacements:  Martin, Wright, Clarke, McMillan, McLachlan, McDonald, Campbell, Rollie.