With 100 days until their World Cup debut against England in Perth, Wales women’s head coach Tom Brindle has named a 23-player squad to face Canada at The Gnoll in Neath on Sunday 19th July (kick-off 3pm).
Ffion Lewis returns to the international rugby league stage for the first time in five years following time in rugby union, where she earned 33 caps for Wales. She previously earned two caps and captained her country in her first spell in rugby league, and was on the long-list for the Golden Boot Award in 2021, presented to the best international player in that year.
Wales will be led by Wigan Warriors’ Bethan Dainton, a Challenge Cup winner at Wembley earlier this season alongside teammate Carys Marsh.
Dainton will also be alongside another familiar face in Jade Mullen. Now playing for London Broncos, the former Harlequins rugby union title winner, has played rugby union alongside Dainton for the Army and for the Wales Sevens side.
Mullen is one of five potential debutants, including three from Cardiff Demons.
Wingers Frances Layton and Zoe Heeley have each gone over for 15 tries this season for the Demons and now qualify for Wales under the five-year residency rule. Layton has played rugby union for Worcester and football for Hereford United in the past, whilst Heeley was a rugby union player with Warriors Women.
Cardiff’s second row forward Sioned Young was selected for the Wales squad last season after returning from a year-long injury, but has yet to win her first cap.
Also vying for a spot in the side will be Warrington Wolves winger, Hollie Brussels. In her first full season with the club, she has scored 14 tries, including five in the first game.
Emily Hughes returns after missing last season’s matches through injury. Fellow returnees, the Cardiff Demons duo Katie Carr and Seren Gough-Walters, also missed 2025’s games due to injury and pregnancy, respectively.
The Welsh are preparing for the World Cup in Australia this October, where they’ll take on England, Australia and Samoa, and Brindle knows that this match is important for his side.
“We’re really excited for this challenge against Canada,” he said. “This is exactly the sort of fixture we need as we continue building towards the World Cup.
“We’ve named five players who could make their international debuts, and that’s a reflection of the strength that’s developing in the women’s game. Every one of them has earned this opportunity through consistently strong performances at club level, and they’ve pushed the experienced players all the way for selection.
“Competition for places is exactly where we want to be as a programme. We know Canada will provide a tough, physical test, but our focus is on playing our game, continuing to improve the standards we’ve set and giving those new players the confidence to show what they can do in a Wales shirt.”
Tickets for Wales v Canada can be bought by going to wrl.wales/tickets
Wales Squad: Leanne Burnell, Katie Carr, Jasmine Gibbons, Seren Gough-Walters, Zoe Heeley*, Ffion Jenkins, Sara Jones, Frances Layton*, Rhi Parker, Amberley Ruck, Olivia Williams, Sioned Young* (all Cardiff Demons), Georgia Cussons, Gracie Hobbs (both Huddersfield Giants), Emily Hughes, Ffion Lewis, Jade Mullen*, Kathryn Salter (all London Broncos), Dani McGifford (St Helens), Hollie Brussels* (Warrington Wolves), Bethan Dainton, Carys Marsh (both Wigan Warriors), Agnes Wood (York Valkyrie).
*uncapped
