Kevin Rouet becomes the first coach to reveal his side for his second match.
The assumption has been all along, head coaches would make wholesale changes across the three group-stage games, if only to give all 32 players an outing. It hasn’t quite worked out like that in this case.
Here’s the squad to play Wales:
1 HUNT 2 TUTTOSI 3 MENIN 4 DE GOEDE 5 BEUKEBOOM 6 CROSSLEY 7 PAQUIN 8 SENFT 9 PELLETIER 10 PERRY 11 HOGAN-ROCHESTER 12 TESSIER (captain) 13 SYMONDS 14 CORRIGAN 15 SCHELL
Bench: 16 BOAG 17 KASSIL 18 DEMERCHANT 19 O’DONNELL 20 FORTEZA 21 APPS 22 GALLAGHER 23 SEUMANUTAFA
In the event the back- line is almost unchanged, quite a surprise. Hogan-Rochester comes in on the left wing to make her RWC debut.
Up front numbers 4, 6 and 8 keep their place.
Of course three factors come into play: the relative standings of the opposition (Wales rank 10th, Scotland next week 6th); the injury list, and the wish to keep key players fresh.
In this squad it’s tricky finding a player who isn’t key. Tyson Beukeboom is in line to gain her 80th cap, equalling the all-time national record.
Canada should go storming through. I fear for Cymru.
Match details:
Opposition: Wales
Date: 30 August
Venue: Salford
KO: 12 noon (BST)
