Wales head coach Tom Brindle has named his 19-player squad to face England at The Lextan Gnoll on Saturday (kick-off 5.30pm).
There are just three potential changes to the Wales side from their win over England last Sunday with Cardiff Demons trio, Leanne Burnell, Rhi Parker and Sioned Young coming into the squad, the latter being in line for her first cap.
Brindle said: "I thought we put in a good performance against Scotland. We did the things that we wanted to do in the main.
"The structure and the formation of our squad's really good. There are a few areas we needed to fix up and there are a few executions that clearly could have been better and would have put some more points on the board.
"But in the main, I'm happy with what we put out on there last Sunday.
“We know that England are going to be a lot tougher than last week. They have a side with lot of new faces, but their squad features players who are putting in strong performances in Super League and players who are benefiting from the significant investment and growth over the last decade across England."
"Our job is to concentrate on us and how we play our best version of our game. If we can do that, then I'll be happy."
The big match is the second of a double header at the ground on Saturday, with South Wales Jets U14 girls playing their first ever full match as they take on Oulton Raidettes U14 in the curtain raiser match at 3.30pm.
"It will be good to see potential Wales stars of the future on the pitch in Neath on Saturday in addition to the full Wales side," Brindle said. "Hopefully, this will be the first of many games as we start to build a youth development structure for Cardiff Demons and the women's game in Wales.
"It's also excellent that a couple of our players in Amberley Ruck and Ffion Jenkins have been involved in the coaching.
"Well done to South Wales Jets for leading all of this and organising the game."
Tickets can be bought by going to https://ticketpass.org/o/324959259/wales-rugby-league/events. All tickets must be bought on the app or website and can be saved to a phone's Google Wallet or equivalent. No cash or cards will be taken on the gate.
Wales Women's Squad
Leanne Burnell, Lucia Davies, Jasmine Gibbons, Ffion Jenkins, Hannah Jones, Charlie Mundy, Rhi Parker, Amy Price, Amberley Ruck, Meg Whittaker, Olivia Williams, Sioned Young* (all Cardiff Demons), Gracie Hobbs (Huddersfield Giants), Bethan Dainton (Leeds Rhinos, captain), Kathryn Salter (London Broncos), Georgia Taylor (Sheffield Eagles), Dani McGifford (St Helens), Carys Marsh (Wigan Warriors), Agnes Wood (York Valkyrie).
England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, has named his 20-player squad who will travel to face Wales at The Lextan Gnoll in Neath this Saturday (9 August, KO 5.30pm) – with the fixture to be broadcast live on S4C.
Wigan’s 19-year-old full-back Grace Banks is named for the first time following her Player of the Match performance during Lancashire’s 50-8 victory in the Women’s Origin fixture on Saturday (2 August). She’s been enjoying a prolific season for her club and was also named Player of the Match in this year’s Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley – she’s been selected alongside six of her Wigan teammates.
2024 Woman of Steel nominee Lucy Murray is also in line to make her international debut after her impressive start to the Betfred Women’s Super League season. The 22-year-old second-rower, one of five Leeds players in the squad, has become a key player for the Rhinos since making her debut back in 2021 and was named their 2024 Player of the Year.
Reigning Super League champions York Valkyrie are represented through Eboni Partington, Liv Wood and Savannah Andrade, who is called up to the national team for the first time since 2021.
St Helens have five of their key players selected including their captain Jodie Cunningham, who missed the Origin match with injury and 22-year-old Phoebe Hook who is called up to the international team for the first time.
Saturday will be England’s first trip to Wales since 2022, with both teams preparing for the Rugby League World Cup in Australia in late 2026 – which will be Wales’s first appearance in the tournament.
England Women Head Coach, Stuart Barrow, says:
“It’s been incredibly difficult to decide who will travel to face Wales this Saturday especially after we have just played a really intense Origin fixture that pushed both sides to their limits.
“I think we have a strong squad going into the fixture and we’re looking forward to returning to Wales for the first time since 2022 as we continue our preparations for next year’s World Cup.
“We have some new names coming into the squad which reflects the form shown in Super League this year and it’s going to be really exciting for everyone involved welcoming them into camp - I’ll be looking to the senior internationals to help settle them in and show them what it means to be an England player.”
Tickets for the fixture against Wales are on sale here, priced at:
- Adults: £10
- 11 and under: Free
- Concessions: £7
- Ages 12-16: £5
- Family (two adults and two ages 12-16): £25
England Women squad:
Savannah Andrade (York Valkyrie), Grace Banks (Wigan Warriors), Ruby Bruce, Evie Cousins (both Leeds Rhinos), Jodie Cunningham (St Helens), Anna Davies, Jenna Foubister, Eva Hunter (all Wigan Warriors), Phoebe Hook (St Helens), Molly Jones (Wigan Warriors), Katie Mottershead (St Helens), Lucy Murray, Izzy Northrop (both Leeds Rhinos), Eboni Partington (York Valkyrie), Emily Rudge (St Helens), Isabel Rowe (Wigan Warriors), Bella Sykes (Leeds Rhinos), Georgia Wilson (Wigan Warriors), Liv Wood (York Valkyrie), Vicky Whitfield (St Helens)