Siwan Lilicrap’s Wales U18 squad will be playing their part in a massive weekend for women’s rugby in the Welsh capital when they take on Scotland in a training match at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday 30 March (kick-off 11.00am).
It will be their second warm-up fixture ahead of the Six Nations Festival and head coach Lillicrap will be using the occasion to run the rule of even more players ahead of announcing her Festival squad next week.
The squad will be at the Wales v England game at Principality Stadium today and their match against the Scots will precede the three WRU Women’s finals at the home of Welsh rugby later in the day on Sunday.
For four members of the squad there will be an even closer association with the senior side. Isla McMillan, Seren Lockwood, Shanelle Williams and Jorja Aiono have been involved in six sessions with Hannah Jones’ team and will be involved in the warm-up before the clash with the Red Roses.
“We will see some of these girls transition pretty quickly into the senior ranks and the message to them all is to keep working hard and to take every opportunity they are offered,” said Lillicrap.
“It has been great experience for the four girls to train with the senior squad and that proves to everyone they aren’t that far away from realising their dreams of playing for their country. We had a good win in Italy and now this game will give us the chance to take another look at candidates for the final Six Nations Festival squad.
“We were comfortable against the Scots last year but it’s so hard to know how strong they will be this time. They are on a similar path to us in growing their game.”
The Welsh youngsters beat Italy 17-10 in Treviso two weeks ago thanks to tries from Shanelle Williams, Taufa Tuipulotu and Amelia Bailey, and a conversion from Ffion Williams. All bar Bailey are included in the squad to face the Scots in what will be three 25-minute sessions.
Wales U18 Squad (v Scotland): Abi Richards, Cara Mercier, Charlie Williams, Chiara Pearce, Chloe Roblin, Ciara Taylor, Crystal James, Erin Jones, Evie Hill, Ffion Williams, Freya Perry, Georgia Morgan, Grace Boyd, Isla McMullen, Izzy Jones, Jorja Aiono, Kacey Morkot, Katie Johnson, Lily Foscolo, Lily Hawkins, Meg Jones, Meg Thomas, Saran Griffiths, Saran Jones, Seren Lockwood, Shanelle Williams, Sienna McCormack, Taufa Tuipulotu