It’s excellent news that 18,000 tickets have already (Thursday 27th) been bought for the Wales-England game at the Principality Stadium. That is nearly double the size of the Welsh record.
It shows that there is still strong support for the Welsh side, despite all the worrying news emanating from HQ about men’s rugby. Congratulations to the WRU for making this choice. Every player is looking forward keenly to appearing at what many consider the greatest arena in world rugby. The one drawback is that those 18,000 (and more) will leave a lot of gaps; the capacity is 74,500. That is the conundrum facing every rugby authority.
Sean Lynn has announced his team. Both Gwenillian Pyrs and Gwen Crabb have been pronounced fit to return to the fray. Crabb replaces Pyrs’ younger sister, Alaw, who reverts to the bench. They are the only changes to the starting XV, Georgia Evans having been allowed to play after her two yellow cards last weekend. ’Sufficient punishment’ was the verdict.
The team:
15 J. Joyce-Butchers 14 Neumann 13 H. Jones (captain) 12 K. Powell 11 Cox 10 George 9 Bevan 1 G. Pyrs 2 Phillips 3 Scoble 4 Fleming 5 Crabb 6 K. Williams 7 Lewis 8 Evans
16 K. Jones 17 Maisie Davies 18 Rose 19 A. Pyrs 20 King 21 Meg Davies 22 Keight 23 Metcalfe
Now John Mitchell has announced his team to enter the cauldron:
15 Kildunne 14 Dow 13 Jones 12 Heard 11 Breach 10 Harrison 9 Hunt 1 Carson 2 Atkin-Davies 3 Bern 4 Talling 5 Ward 6 Aldcroft (captain) 7 Kabeya 8 Feaunati
16 Cokayne 17 Botterman 18 Muir 19 Galligan 20 *Burton 21 L. Packer 22 Aitchison 23 Rowland *uncapped
Ellie Kildunne is in line for her 50th cap.
Unlike the other selectors Mitchell has made sweeping changes as expected. It’s noticeable that he keeps his captain on the blind-side, inviting Morwenna Talling to operate in the second row again.
Mackenzie Carson retains her place at loose-head, while Mitchell opts for two midfield players to fill the bench; no room for the dozens of promising wingers who are having their praises sung by club supporters.
We may assume the words ’80 minutes’ were uttered at some stage of the preparations. The lack of second-half success at York was a concern. I fear one consequence could be a large total for the visiting team.
I’m pleased to say I got the likely choice of backs completely right, but fumbled over three places in the pack. “Must try harder” will be the verdict.
France v Scotland
Here is the French team to play Scotland in La Rochelle:
1 Brosseau 2 Bigot 3 Bernadou 4 M. Feleu (co-captain) 5 Fall Raclot 6 Escudero 7 Okemba 8 T. Feleu 9 Bourdon Sansus 10 Arbez 11 Llorens Vigneres 12 Amédée 13 M. Ménager (co-captain) 14 Arbey 15 Bourgeois
16 Riffonneau 17 Mwayembe 18 Joyeux 19 Zago 20 Berthoumieu 21 Champon 22 Chambon 23 Queyroi
Like Lynn, Gaëlle Mignot and David Ortiz have made minimal changes, one enforced after Gabrielle Vernier’s red card, two by injury The effect is a new centre partnership, Monserrat Amédée returning after a 7-year absence (partly owing to Sevens), to replace the injured Nassira Konde, while the one fit Ménager sister swops her 14 shirt for the 13.
For the second time the management lists five extra players, called “Supplementaries”. They aren’t simply young and uncapped, going along to enjoy the atmosphere; they include Célia `Domain, the prop, and Emilie Boulard, full-back, who both have considerable onfield experience.
And the Scotland side
1 Young 2 Skeldon 3 Clarke 4 Cunningham 5 Bonar 6 Malcolm 7 McLachlan 8 Konkel 9 Brebner- Holden 10 Nelson 11 McGhie 12 Thomson 13 Orr 14 Lloyd 15 Rollie
16 Martin 17 Bartlett 18 *Poolman 19 Ferrie 20 *Boyd 21 Stewart 22 Mattinson 23 Wills *uncapped
Bryan Easson has followed suit by making only one change to his starting Fifteen. Jade Konkel makes a rather useful replacement for the banned Evie Gallagher at No 8. The backs are all retained, but there are two new faces on the bench: Molly Poolman and Becky Boyd; both are forwards.
For the moment the strategy for both these teams is to stick as far as possible to an established XV; the only sign of spreading the net wider comes with the bench. The managements stick to the now fashionable 6:2 split between forwards and backs. It will be fun when a prop forward is invited to switch to full-back.
The Sunday sides, Italy and Ireland, have yet to be revealed.
Saturday Fixtures
France v Scotland, Stade Marcel-Deflandre, La Rochelle,KO 13.00
Wales v England, Principality Stadium, KO 16.45
