Wales captain Metcalfe looks to follow in sister's footsteps
The 18-year-old is determined to follow the same path as her older sister Nel and reach the senior team – but first she leads her country into the U20 Six Nations Women's Summer Series.
Advertisement
Metcalfe and her teammates have the opportunity to push their cases for full international call-ups when they take on Ireland this afternoon as the competition gets underway in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly.
It is the second edition of the U20 tournament, which debuted in Italy last year, and despite suffering three defeats out of three 12 months ago, the Welsh class of 2025 are relishing the chance to showcase what they can do.
'I'm really excited,' said back rower Metcalfe, who attended Hartpury College.
'The girls have had a good few weeks of training, we've had a good team run this morning. We are feeling really confident going into tomorrow.
Advertisement
'We are really positive. The girls have gelled really well today and it's so nice to see everyone from different places coming together to represent Wales.'
Following on from the 2024 Women's Summer Series, 14 players across the six countries went on to achieve senior honours during the 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations, including Branwen's sister Nel, 20.
And Metcalfe, who is from Llanrwst and started playing rugby aged seven, highlighted the importance of the competition for giving players the opportunity to standout and to use it as a springboard to break into the senior team.
'Our pathway in Wales is definitely working,' she said. 'I have seen it myself personally, my sister is in the senior squad now, and it is really great to see how we've got so many youngsters pushing for places.
Advertisement
'She has always been an inspiration to me. I definitely want to follow in her footsteps if I can.'
With women's rugby going from strength to strength and the game on an upward trajectory, the 2025 Six Nations Women's Summer Series is a big chance for stars of the future to gain vital international experience, graduate along the development pathway, while also inspiring a new generation of rugby fans.
Spread across three dates during July, Wales will also face Scotland on 11 July before rounding off their campaign against Italy six days later.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gareth Bale turns 36: his top 10 rocket goals 🚀
Is this the most beautiful goal catalog in the world? This Wednesday, July 16, Gareth Bale is celebrating his 36th birthday. Retired for two years, the Welsh legend has marked the history of football in the 21st century by forming the legendary BBC at Real Madrid, but also thanks to his extraterrestrial goals. Advertisement To celebrate the birthday of the former Spurs player, we have selected 10 of the most beautiful goals of his career. To be savored without moderation. The legendary volley against Stoke West Ham's nets still remember The legendary hat-trick at San Siro He was also unbeatable on free kicks We said unbeatable Euro 2016 was his competition He also mastered finesse The left-footed shots were too much Marc Bartra still has nightmares about it The most legendary one to finish Which one do you prefer? Tell us in the comments. Also read: - These L1 stars have signed... in a ghost town - The XI of revelations of the Club World Cup Advertisement - Already 4 qualified for the 2029 Club World Cup! This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here. 📸 Denis Doyle - 2014 Getty Images
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gregor Townsend selects Lions-bound duo for Scotland clash with Samoa
Scotland head coach Gregor Townsend revealed Rory Sutherland and Ewan Ashman are keen to play a full part against Samoa before heading off on British and Irish Lions duty. Townsend has selected the pair in his front row for Scotland's final summer tour encounter in Auckland on Friday. Advertisement Darcy Graham has already linked up with the Lions and Glasgow prop Sutherland and Edinburgh hooker Ashman will join him with a view to playing in next Tuesday's match against a First Nations & Pasifika XV. Townsend said: 'The fact we're playing Friday night and they can get to Melbourne on Sunday, the same time as the Lions are arriving, as long as they are available to train on Monday and be available for the game on Tuesday, there won't be any real consideration on game time. 'We hope every one of our players come through fit but Ewan and Rory were very keen to play.' Darcy Graham has joined up with the Lions (Jane Barlow/PA) Townsend was delighted with the additional Lions recognition, which took the number of Scots selected to 12, including the injured Zander Fagerson. Advertisement 'Especially for Darcy to go there now and be part of the Lions squad, building up to the first Test and then getting a really good run at potentially being involved in that midweek game,' he added. 'And the other two guys, they were buzzing when I passed on the news to them that they were going to be getting a phone call from the Lions and the players were really pleased for them as well. 'Maybe it's not in the front of their minds because they've been preparing for a Test match this week but I'm sure their focus will turn to the Lions as soon as Friday night is over.' Townsend has made five personnel changes following the 29-14 defeat by Fiji. Gregor Brown returns from injury to start in the second row while Andy Onyeama-Christie is drafted into the back row after Jamie Ritchie dropped out with a foot injury. Advertisement Rory Hutchinson and Stafford McDowall form a new centre partnership in place of Cameron Redpath and Tom Jordan, who suffered a fractured hand against Fiji. Arron Reed replaces Graham with Kyle Steyn swapping wings. Ben Muncaster is back from injury but has to settle for a place on the bench alongside uncapped Glasgow prop Fin Richardson. 'While there's a lot of changes, some of them were outwith our control,' Townsend said. 'But we've looked to put our strongest team out. We were disappointed with the result at the weekend and we want to finish this tour with a real strong performance and finish on a high from a playing point of view because off the field it's been excellent. Eden Park will host Scotland's Test against Samoa (David Davies/PA) 'We feel very privileged to be playing in such an iconic and historic stadium, Eden Park. It will be a great atmosphere, a noisy crowd, you'd mainly imagine supporting Samoa. It's one of the most iconic stadiums in world rugby. Advertisement 'A great opportunity for us to play a proper Test match in that stadium and finish the tour on a real high.' Townsend earmarked two main areas of improvement. 'The contact area,' he said. 'Just being more ruthless in that area, quicker in support, ball-carrying, working harder on the floor, just not allowing the opposition any opportunities to get the ball back. 'And our discipline. Discipline can be a number of things that the referee can call you up on, but not being offside, just giving them a bit of space, that would be the first one that we can fix.'
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Scotland desperate to finish Six Nations Women's Summer Series on high against Ireland, says MacRae
Lucy MacRae says Scotland are desperate to end the 2025 Six Nations Women's Summer Series on a high when they take on Ireland on Thursday. Following an opening day 31-17 loss to England, Scotland suffered their second defeat of the competition at the hands of hosts Wales losing 52-29 last Friday. Having been 28-3 down after 36 minutes, Scotland rallied with four tries of their own, outscoring their opponents 26-24 over the next 44 minutes. Advertisement 'We want to finish really strong,' the 20-year-old said. 'We've had some really good moments throughout this campaign, in the English and Welsh games. 'The vibe in camp is pretty positive. We've been doing mini challenges within the squad that keep the competition and excitement up. 'Another positive is everyone has gotten closer and closer as the camp has gone on, and we're really looking forward to kicking on into that Irish game and hopefully ending in a positive manner.' At the Centre for Sporting Excellence in Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly, Ceitidh Ainsworth scored just before half-time and then Freya MacColl grabbed a double after the break, either side of Poppy Mellanby's try to see Scotland show real fight against Wales. Alongside that second-half performance, Scotland fought valiantly against England in Round 1 and enjoyed periods of success against the Auld Enemy. Advertisement MacRae acknowledged the challenge now for her and her teammates was to put together a complete performance across a full 80 minutes. 'A rugby game is never going to be perfect,' the inside centre continued. 'We're expecting that there's going to be mistakes from both sides, that's just the nature of sport. "But we're looking to link up all those moments that we've had and be slightly more consistent with it. 'And if we can do that, I know for a fact that if we do what we've been doing in training, we can definitely bring it come Thursday.' Ireland also go into the final round of fixtures looking to bounce back from a defeat in Round 2 where they were downed 41-12 by France. Advertisement But having won their opening match against Wales 27-10 and led France 12-10 during the first half last time out, MacRae is more than aware of the threat Ireland will pose. 'They've obviously got quite a lot of pace on their wings,' she added. 'They all have a physical pack but we're aware of how Irish teams play and we're excited to get stuck in.' Discover the future of international rugby at the 2025 Women's Summer Series – where rising stars shine. Follow the action live at U6N | SIX NATIONS - YouTube and on Instagram @u20sixnations.
