Match Preview – Wales vs Canada

Canada’s Senior Women’s team will finally face an opponent not named England on Saturday. All four tests and one mid-week match since the 2017 World Cup have come against senior or academy Red Roses. This weekend’s match will be against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park.

The two sides met twice at the World Cup in Ireland with Canada winning both matches. After an 8-point defeat to England they scored a win over England Academy on Wednesday, and Canada will now look for a similar result against Wales and their match against Scotland on Tuesday.

Four changes have been made to the team that came up short against England last weekend. Veronica Harrigan is given her first test start at loosehead prop, and Sara Svoboda lines up at flanker after playing centre against England Academy. Cindy Nelles moves up to lock with Gabrielle Senft switching to No8.

There is a new halfback combination with Lori Josephson and Taylor Black taking over from Brianna Miller and Anaïs Holly. This will be Black’s first time wearing the No10 shirt, the 18-year-old impressing in Wednesday’s game. Tausani Levale earned Player of the Game honors and is rewarded with a chance to make her test debut as a replacement.

Wales enter the game on the back of a 19-5 win over South Africa and a 65-0 smashing of Hong Kong last weekend. Head coach Rowland Phillips has made five changes, four in the pack. The only change in the backs is the recall of Keira Bevan at scrumhalf.

The first choice front row of Caryl Thomas, Carys Phillips, and Amy Evans returns with Siwan Lillicrap restored in the second row alongside Ospreys clubmate Mel Clay. The Neath-Swansea club contribute four of the tight five and 11 out of the match day 23.

Kickoff is set for 11:30am local time, 6:30am Eastern, 3:30am Pacific. A live stream is available on the Welsh Rugby Facebook page.

WALES
1 Caryl Thomas, 2 Carys Phillips (capt.), 3 Amy Evans, 4 Siwan Lillicrap, 5 Mel Clay, 6 Manon Johnes, 7 Bethan Lewis, 8 Sioned Harries, 9 Keira Bevan, 10 Robyn Wilkins, 11 Lisa Neumann, 12 Alicia McComish, 13 Alecs Donovan, 14 Jazz Joyce, 15 Lauren Smyth

Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Cara Hope, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Natalia John, 20 Gwen Crabb, 21 Ffion Lewis, 22 Hannah Jones, 23 Jess Kavanagh

CANADA
1 Veronica Harrigan, 2 Laura Russell (capt.), 3 DaLeaka Menin, 4 Cindy Nelles, 5 Courtney Holtkamp, 6 Sara Svoboda, 7 Janna Slevinsky, 8 Gabrielle Senft, 9 Lori Josephson, 10 Taylor Black, 11 Sabrina Poulin, 12 Alex Tessier, 13 Marie Thibault, 14 Magali Harvey, 15 Elissa Alarie

Replacements: 16 Gillian Boag, 17 Brittany Kassil, 18 Olivia DeMerchant, 19 Ngalula Fuamba, 20 Tyson Beukeboom, 21 Brianna Miller, 22 Tausani Levale, 23 Anaïs Holly

Date: Saturday, November 24
Kick-Off: 11:30 local (03:30 Pacific, 06:30 Eastern)
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Referee: Rebecca Mahoney (NZRU)
Assistants: Simon Mills (WRU) & Kath Pritchard (WRU)
TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)
Broadcasts: Welsh Rugby Facebook