Blow for Wales as Joyce will miss big clash with England
STAR wing Jasmine Joyce has been ruled out of Wales’ Women’s Six Nations game against England in Bristol today by a hamstring strain.
Lisa Neumann takes over on the right wing from the Great Britain sevens star amid seven starting changes.
Another late change to the initial line-up sees Molly Reardon become back-up hooker on the bench from Kelsey Jones (calf injury).
Scrum-half Sian Jones, 20, replaces Keira Bevan while Carys Cox is picked ahead of Nel Metcalfe on the left wing.
Carys Phillips and Donna Rose come into the front row as Sisilia Tuipulotu drops to the bench.
Georgia Evans and Kate Williams also start in the pack as Wales look to bounce back from defeat by Scotland.
Wales were beaten narrowly by the Scots in their opening game of this year’s tournament at Cardiff Arms Park last weekend.
But today’s game, which takes place at Ashton Gate, will be another step up for Ioan Cunningham’s team as they take on an England side who have won the last five Women’s Six Nations Championships.
“England are the benchmark side for every nation in the women’s game and we have nothing to lose against a team that won the Grand Slam last season,” said Wales head coach Cunningham.
Sian Jones made her debut as a substitute against Scotland while lock Evans and flanker Williams come in for Natalia John and Alisha Butchers respectively.
Full-back Jenny Hesketh wins her second Wales cap having previously captained England at under-20 level.
England have lost just 12 Women’s Six Nations game since 2002 and have been beaten only once in the competition since 2017.
Wales’ last win over England came in the 2015 Six Nations as they won 13-0 at St Helen’s in Swansea.
That success is one of only two that Wales have enjoyed over their neighbours in 37 games, with the other back in 2009.
Wales go into the game off the back of that 20-18 home defeat by Scotland, after Lleucu George missed a 79th-minute conversion which would have secured a draw.
England, meanwhile, thrashed Italy 48-0 to start their title defence in fine fashion.
“We have made some changes and are under no illusions of the challenge facing us,” Cunningham said.
“We have strength in depth in the squad and this is an opportunity for the players selected to show what they can do.
“We need to focus on what we do. We had a robust review of the Scotland game and the players identified the areas that we have to improve on for this weekend’s Test match.”
England: Kildunne; Dow, Jones, Heard, Breach; Aitchison, Hunt; Botterman, Atkin-davies, Muir, Aldcroft, Galligan, Kabeya, Packer (capt), Matthews. Replacements: Powell, Carson, Clifford, Ward, Feaunati, Packer, Harrison, Gregson.
Wales: Jenny Hesketh; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones, Kerin Lake, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Sian Jones; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Donna Rose, Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans, Kate Williams, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis.
Replacements: Molly Reardon, Abbey Constable, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Natalia John, Alisha Butchers, Keira Bevan, Kayleigh Powell, Nel Metcalfe.