Wales announce Rugby World Cup squad as impressive teenager selected
The squad has been described as a 'mix of experience and exciting young talent'
Lynn has selected his squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup
Wales head coach Sean Lynn has named his 32-player squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, with their tournament opener against Scotland now less than two weeks away.
Lynn, who oversaw a winless Six Nations run in his first campaign in charge earlier this year, is determined for Wales to bounce back at the tournament in England and has selected a strong squad led by co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams. Made up of 19 forwards and 13 backs, it features one uncapped player, with 18-year-old Branwen Metcalfe selected after impressing in the U20s Six Nations Summer Series.
The Wales U20s captain is the younger sister of full back Nel Metcalfe, with the siblings one of two pairs of sisters, along with prop Gwenllian Pyrs and lock Alaw Pyrs, to be picked by Lynn. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby.
Together with centre Kerin Lake, Metcalfe is the only other member of the squad outside of the 30 players who recorded a first Test match victory for Wales against the Wallaroos in Australia last month.
Three players who made their Wales debuts in Australia - scrum-half Seren Lockwood, prop Katherine Baverstock and lock Tilly Vucaj - have been named in the squad, while 32-year-old hooker Carys Phillips has been selected for her fourth World Cup.
However, scrum-half Sian Jones was not considered for selection due to a wrist injury, while the likes of Natalia John, Hannah Bluck, Jenny Hesketh and Robyn Wilkins have also missed out.
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Announcing his squad on Monday, Lynn said: 'These are the 32 players who have earned the privilege and honour to represent Wales at what will be the biggest and best women's Rugby World Cup.
'The Wales squad selected is a mix of experience and exciting young talent that have all proved they deserve the opportunity to play on the biggest stage of a World Cup.
'We have hooker Carys Phillips, who will be playing at her fourth World Cup, and uncapped Branwen Metcalfe, who impressed us all with her performances for Wales U20s in the recent Six Nations tournament."
He added: 'As coaches, there were some tough calls on selection but this is the strongest squad we could have selected and we are looking forward to the challenge ahead of us.
'For players, coaches and staff, this promises to be the pinnacle of all our careers and one that we are relishing. We know we are representing a proud rugby nation and we are determined to do the nation proud.'
Wales begin their World Cup campaign against Scotland at the Salford Community Stadium on Saturday, August 23. They will return to the same ground to face Canada one week later, before taking on Fiji in their final pool game at Sandy Park in Exeter on September 6.
Wales squad for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 in full:
Forwards:
Katherine Baverstock (Leicester Tigers), Maisie Davies (Bristol Bears), Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Donna Rose (Saracens), Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester/Hartpury), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester/Hartpury), Carys Phillips (Harlequins), Molly Reardon (Gwalia Lightning), Alex Callender (co-captain, Harlequins), Gwen Crabb (Gloucester/Hartpury), Georgia Evans (Saracens), Abbie Fleming (Harlequins), Bryonie King (Gwalia Lightning), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester/Hartpury), Alaw Pyrs (Gloucester/Hartpury), Tilly Vucaj (Gwalia Lightning), Kate Williams (co-captain Gloucester/Hartpury), Branwen Metcalfe (Hartpury College)
Backs:
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Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears), Meg Davies (Gloucester/Hartpury), Seren Lockwood (Gloucester/Hartpury), Lleucu George (Gloucester/Hartpury), Kayleigh Powell (Harlequins), Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders), Hannah Dallavalle (Gloucester/Hartpury), Kerin Lake (Gwalia Lightning), Courtney Keight (Sale Sharks), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears), Nel Metcalfe (Gloucester/Hartpury), Lisa Neumann (Harlequins), Catherine Richards (Gwalia Lightning)
Wales fixtures for Women's Rugby World Cup 2025
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