Key events
Good to know I’m on the same page as Sarah Rendell.
Here she argues that the Red Roses are doing things few teams, if any, have ever done:
How about some stats, eh?
These have been pulled straight from the WRU website.
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England have won 22 out of 24 meetings against Wales, their only defeats coming in 2015 and 2009
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England have won each of their last 50 international matches on home soil, their last defeat in England coming in November 2016. They have never lost at home to Wales in Test rugby, winning all 20 meetings
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Wales’ Bethan Lewis has made the most tackles of any player in the Women’s Six Nations this year (37) with team-mate Kate Williams making the most dominant tackles (4), while Gwen Crabb has won the most breakdown turnovers
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England’s Sarah Bern is the top try scorer (4), crossing twice in each of the opening two rounds, while team-mate Zoe Harrison has scored the most points (24), not missing a single one of her 12 conversion attempts against Scotland
Wales team
As if the job wasn’t tough enough, Wales will have to do without two of their more senior players as ex-captain Hannah Dallavalle, as well as captain Kate Williams are out injured.
That means Jenna De Vera, who made her Test debut against France off the bench last week, starts at inside centre.
Flanker Alex Callender is still out so much will depend on Branwen Metcalfe who wears the number 6 jersey in her first appearance for her country.
Alongside her in the back row, Bethan Lewis takes over the captaincy.
Wales: Kayleigh Powell; Seren Singleton, Jenna De Vera, Courtney Keight, Jasmine Joyce; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Jorja Aiono; Gwen Crabb, Branwen Metcalfe, Bethan Lewis, Byronie King.
Repalcements: Molly Reardon, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Georgia Evans, Alisha Joyce, Seren Lockwood, Freya Bell, Catherine Richards.
England team
20-year-old Millie David, who plays her club rugby for Bristol, makes her Test debut in front of her home crowd.
She’ll start on the wing which means Ellie Kildunne slots back to her usual position at fullback. Emma Sing, who impressed last week, misses out of the match-day 23.
Holly Aitchinson starts at fly-half, replacing Zoe Harrison, while props Mackenzie Carson and Sarah Bern, lock Delaney Burns and back-row Marlie Packer enter the scene from the off.
England: Ellie Kildunne; Millie David, Meg Jones (c), Helena Rowland, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald; Holly Aitchison, Lucy Packer; Mackenzie Carson, Amy Cokayne, Sarah Bern, Abi Burton, Delaney Burns, Sadia Kabeya, Marlie Packer, Maddie Feaunati.
Replacements: Connie Powell, Kelsey Clifford, Maud Muir, Haineala Lutui, Demelza Short, Flo Robinson, Zoe Harrison, Jess Breach.
Preamble
Hi everyone! Welcome to the third round of a Women’s Six Nations that is pretty much going as expected.
England are top of the tree with having scored 17 tries (five more than France) and look unbeatable.
They weren’t at their best against Ireland but still had enough oomph from third gear. Then they revved their engines and pulverised Scotland by a hefty score.
Today they face Wales who were denied at the death by Scotland but got spanked on home soil by France. They’re a team on the rise, no question, but they’re rising from a long way down from where England currently reside. Expect plenty of support, though, for the visiting side as they’re playing just across the River Severn in Bristol.
Is there a more dominant sports team in the world than the Red Roses? Not for my money. If they fail to add to their unbeaten run of 35 Tests I’ll eat my hat. And my shoes. And my leather belt.
Kick-off at 2:15pm.
Teams and other updates, including some cracking reads from around the G, to come.
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