Skipper Siwan ready for a tough Italian test
WALES Women skipper Siwan Lillicrap says her side is preparing for a tough test when they host Italy in their Six Nations opner at Cardiff Arms Park tomorrow (1pm).
The Italian side finished runners-up in the competition and have proved troublesome opponents in the past.
Lillicrap said: “It’s a big challenge, we can’t shy away from that. Italy are a very good side, it was a 3-3 draw last year in a tough arm wrestle.
“They beat us the year before at the Principality Stadium. Some of us were involved in that fixture so we’ve got even more hunger if anything to get some revenge for that game.
But they are going to be a good side. They are going to bring everything they have got on Sunday and we need to be prepared for that.”
Lillicrap’s first taste of captaining the side came during their five-match autumn campaign, but she has spoken of her pride in taking charge for the Six Nations.
“It’s a huge honour, but, to be honest, the girls make my job easy with the way we’re conducting ourselves as a squad in training.”
The autumn matches allowed the coaches to get an in-depth look at their squad and Lillicrap has been impressed at how the new players have settled in
“We’ve got some older players and some experienced players in the squad, but some have one cap or no caps.
But if you came and watched a training session, you wouldn’t know who was who because they are all stepping up to the mark. That’s what we want as a squad, so it’s been brilliant so far.”
Coach Chris Horsman, who is also in charge of his first Six Nations campaign, added: ““Italy has always been a key match for us and this Sunday will be no different.
“It will be a tough game with no hiding place.
“We have asked a lot of the players, increasing the intensity of training and they’ve met the challenge head on.
“The aim of that is not only to perform under pressure during the Six Nations but also, longer term, to close the gap on teams above us in the world rankings.
“We are concentrating on ourselves and this week, not looking beyond the challenge of Italy on Sunday.”
The experience of Jasmine Joyce and Hannah jones is back for Wales after they spent the autumn playing sevens in Australia.
There are first Six Nations starts for full-back Kayleigh Powell, who made her Wales debut in the November win over Ireland, and the front row forwards Gwenllian Pyrs and Kelsey Jones while Molly Kelly, Georgia Evans and Paige Randall
are set to make their Six Nations debut if they come off the bench after earning their first caps in the autumn.
Wales Women:
Kayleigh Powell; Jasmine Joyce, Hannah Jones, Kerin Lake, Lisa Neumann; Robyn Wilkins, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Cerys Hale, Natalia John, Gwen Crabb, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis, Siwan Lillicrap (c). Replacements: Molly Kelly, Cara Hope, Ruth Lewis, Georgia Evans, Alisha Butchers, Manon Johnes, Ffion Lewis, Paige Randall.