Head coach Sean Lynn has named the Wales side to face Italy in Round 5 of the Women’s Guinness Six Nation at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi on Sunday, April 27th (KO: 12.30pm, Local time).
The fixture has been rescheduled out of respect and due to the funeral of Pope Francis now being held on Saturday in Italy.
Centre Hannah Jones will captain the side and partners Courtney Keight in midfield in a team that sees three changes to the side that faced Ireland.
Vice-captain Keira Bevan is at scrum half and partners fly half Lleucu George at half back. Full back Jasmine Joyce and wings Lisa Neumann and Carys Cox make up Wales’ back three.
Experienced prop Donna Rose starts her first game of this campaign and packs down with hooker Kelsey Jones and prop Gwenllian Pyrs in the front row.
Lock Gwen Crabb partners Abbie Fleming in the second row, while Georgia Evans is moved back to Number 8, alongside Bethan Lewis and Kate Williams in the back row.
Lynn, said: “We have had some really honest conversations this week about what we expect to achieve and what is expected from players, coaches and staff ahead of the final game of this Six Nations campaign.
“We have shown how we want to play and the style we want to develop on the field, we just need to do more of it and to be more consistent.
“We are creating pressure and opportunities, and we just need to finish them and convert them into points.
“We are a better team than the results show in the tournament, but we have to start learning and improve where it matters and that’s on the field during games.
“The players have shown they can do it, but we still need to work harder for each other and for the team.
“Italy pushed France really close on home soil and would have got real confidence after that performance.
“But this is cup rugby for us, and we need to focus on our performances and to keep building our game. We are under no illusions of what is at stake.”
Wales team (v Italy)
15 Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears)
14 Lisa Neumann (Harlequins)
13 Hannah Jones (captain, Gloucester/Hartpury)
12 Courtney Keight (Bristol Bears)
11 Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders)
10 Lleucu George (Gloucester/Hartpury)
9 Keira Bevan (vice-captain, Bristol Bears);
1 Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks)
2 Kelsey Jones (Gloucester/Hartpury)
3 Donna Rose (Saracens)
4 Abbie Fleming (Harlequins)
5 Gwen Crabb (Gloucester/Hartpury)
6 Kate Williams (Gloucester/Hartpury)
7 Bethan Lewis (Gloucester/Hartpury)
8 Georgia Evans (Saracens)
Replacements
16 Carys Phillips (Harlequins)
17 Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning)
18 Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning)
19 Natalia John (Brython Thunder)
20 Alex Callender (vice-captain, Harlequins)
21 Sian Jones (Gwalia Lightning)
22 Hannah Bluck (Brython Thunder)
23 Catherine Richards (Gwalia Lightning)