Wales Women’s coach Tom Brindle has named a 19-player squad to travel to Carcassonne to face France this Sunday (kick-off 3pm local time).

After two years away, Lowri Norkett-Morgan returns to the Wales side following a successful stint in international rugby union, whilst former captain Shaunni Davies returns after last playing internationally in mid-2021 before being forced on the sidelines for a year following a knee injury.

There are eight players named who could potentially win their first cap on Sunday. Six of them are from Cardiff Demons. They are:

• Kim Boaler, who started with the Demons in 2021 and was in their Grand Final winning side that year.
• Jasmine Gibbons, who played her first season of rugby league this year after previously playing for Worcester Warriors in rugby union.
• Ffion Jenkins, who has been a Wales squad member for three years and has been 18th on more than one occasion.
• Hannah Jones, who is another newcomer to rugby league this season after previously playing for Swansea in rugby union.
• Ashlea Prescott, who qualifies via the heritage rule and is a former England Universities and Great Britain Teachers international.
• Amy Price, who won four caps for Wales in rugby union in 2016. She starred at hooker in her first season in Super League South.

Also hoping to play for Wales for the first time is Brogan Evans of Salford Red Devils, who finished 2023 as both the Women’s Super League top tackler and top carrier, and Georgia Taylor of York Valkyrie, who helped her side win the Super League Grand Final this year.

Talking about the number of new players in the squad, Brindle said: “We’ve shown great progression over the last few years, and we are building with every session, we worked hard to increase the depth within our squad and we are looking to give a number of players debuts. 

“These games are an important step towards the World Cup, and with a number of injuries, our squad depth give us a chance to see more player playing at the highest levels”

One of the injured players is London Broncos’ Emily Hughes, which leaves Kathryn Salter and Charlie Mundy as the only potential ever-presents since the Wales Women’s side was formed in 2019.

Wales (from): Kim Boaler*, Katie Carr, Shaunni Davies, Jasmine Gibbons*, Ffion Jenkins*, Hannah Jones*, Sara Jones, Eleri Michael, Charlie Mundy, Lowri Norkett-Morgan, Rhi Parker, Ashlea Prescott*, Amy Price*, Molly Reardon (all Cardiff Demons), Bethan Dainton (Leeds Rhinons, captain), Kathryn Salter (London Broncos), Brogan Evans* (Salford Red Devils), Carys Marsh (Wigan Warriors), Georgia Taylor* (York Valkyrie).