Importance Score: 55 / 100 🔵
Women’s Six Nations Rugby Union Live: Wales vs England at Principality Stadium
Welcome to live updates from the Women’s Six Nations clash between Wales and England at the iconic Principality Stadium. Stay tuned for real-time commentary, match highlights, and key moments as they unfold in this highly anticipated rugby union encounter.
Match Updates
2 mins: Early Welsh Pressure
2 mins: Wales secure the initial lineout, and Jaz Joyce initiates a run into open space on the right flank. The Welsh team recycles possession to the left, where Carys Cox attempts an offload, but it lands in the hands of an English player.
Kick-Off Imminent
Here we go: Referee Clara Munarini awaits the public address system countdown before Wales’ Lleuce George commences the match with the kick-off.
National Anthems
The national anthems are about to be played. “Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau” resonates powerfully within the Principality Stadium. For those familiar with Cardiff, the stadium’s atmosphere is palpable even half a mile away.
England Coach John Mitchell’s Perspective
England’s coach, John Mitchell, discusses team rotation: “I value the competition within the squad. Our aim is to field the best playmakers and decision-makers. This is the strategy, and everyone is committed to it. Can we maintain pressure on the opposition for extended periods? We anticipate Wales will challenge us, and I am eager to observe our response.”
Abi Burton’s Remarkable Journey
Abi Burton is poised to potentially make her England debut from the bench today. This appearance marks an extraordinary achievement, considering she was in a coma due to a neurological condition four years prior. Following her participation in the Tokyo Olympics for Team GB in 2021, the Ealing forward sustained a knee injury and subsequently experienced seizures and abrupt shifts in behaviour.
She was eventually diagnosed with autoimmune NMDA receptor encephalitis, necessitating an induced coma for nearly a month. “I lost the ability to walk, speak, read, or write. The transition from being a robust rugby player to struggling to get up for basic needs was shocking. I felt like a shadow of my former self.”
After a lengthy recovery, Burton made her rugby comeback, representing Team GB sevens last year in Paris, which led to her England selection this year. “Knowing a relapse could end my playing career, I approach each game as if it were my last.”
Record Crowd Expected
Wales is hosting England at the Principality Stadium for the first time in the Women’s Six Nations. With 18,000 tickets pre-sold, this event is set to become the best-attended women’s sports fixture in Welsh history.
“It doesn’t get any bigger than this,” states Wales head coach, Sean Lynn. “England are a formidable team, the top-ranked team globally – we hold immense respect for them. However, we are focused on building upon our performance against Scotland and securing incremental gains today.”
Meg Jones Article Teaser
England’s Meg Jones recently shared a poignant interview with Donald McRae, reflecting on the loss of both her Welsh father and English mother in the past year.
Jaz Joyce-Butchers Speaks Out
Wales full-back Jaz Joyce-Butchers discusses her team’s recent challenges and expresses optimism for a fresh start after players resolved their contract dispute with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU).
Earlier Result: France 38-15 Scotland
In an earlier Women’s Six Nations match, France triumphed over Scotland in La Rochelle, securing their second victory of the tournament and a bonus point.
Despite a strong start by the French team, with Carla Arbez scoring after an impressive break by No. 8 Teani Feleu in the 11th minute, Scotland proved resilient. Morgane Bourgeois converted the try and added two penalties, putting France ahead 13-0. However, Emma Orr responded for Scotland, scoring a try after capitalizing on a French handling error initiated by Lisa Thomson.
Helen Nelson’s conversion narrowed the score to 13-7 at halftime. Bourgeois extended France’s lead with another penalty after the break, followed by a superb drop-goal from scrum-half Pauline Bourdon Sansus. Nelson responded with a penalty for Scotland, reducing the deficit to nine points. In the match’s final stages, France accelerated, scoring further points to secure a comfortable win.
France scored two quick tries through Feleu and Seraphine Okemba, effectively deciding the match. Bourgeois then scored France’s fourth try, earning a bonus point. Elis Martin scored a late try for Scotland in injury time, but Nelson’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful, hitting the post.
Following their previous 27-15 victory against Ireland in Belfast, France will next face Wales. Scotland, having won against Wales in their first match, is set to play Italy.
Updated at:
Team Lineups
Wales Women’s Rugby Team
Wales: Jaz Joyce-Butchers; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (c), Kayleigh Powell, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Georgia Evans.
Replacements: Kelsey Jones, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Alaw Pyrs, Bryonie King, Megan Davies, Courtney Keight, Nel Metcalfe.
England Women’s Rugby Team
England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Meg Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Mackenzie Carson, Lark Atkin-Davies, Sarah Bern, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward, Zoe Aldcroft (c), Sadia Kabeya, Maddie Feaunati.
Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Hannah Botterman, Maud Muir, Rosie Galligan, Abi Burton, Lucy Packer, Holly Aitchison, Helena Rowland.
Match Officials
Referee: Clara Munarini (Italy)
Updated at:
Preamble to Wales vs England Women’s Six Nations Match
Two teams with contrasting ambitions will clash at Principality Stadium this afternoon. While both England and Wales feature in the world’s top 10 rugby nations, their objectives for this Women’s Six Nations game are markedly different. England, the visiting side, are in pursuit of a flawless performance as they gear up for the upcoming home World Cup, where only triumph is deemed acceptable.
England’s coach, John Mitchell, has opted to rotate his starting lineup from their initial victory against Italy, providing an opportunity for the entire squad to demonstrate their capabilities. Wales, anticipating a crowd of at least 18,000 spectators, aim to capitalize on the home advantage and build upon their narrow defeat suffered against Scotland in the first week. Nevertheless, securing their first win against England since 2015 would constitute a significant upset.
For Wales, under the guidance of new head coach Sean Lynn and in the midst of rebuilding after finishing last in the previous year’s tournament, the emphasis might be more on demonstrating progress rather than solely focusing on the match score. Amidst a challenging period for Welsh rugby overall, the women’s team is keen to prevent a heavy defeat akin to that recently experienced by the men’s team.
Conversely, England operates under stringent standards and remains undefeated since their narrow loss to New Zealand in the 2022 World Cup final. Even after their dominant 38-5 victory over Italy, the team is motivated to rectify a perceived dip in performance during the second half of that match. This afternoon represents a significant occasion for women’s rugby in Wales, and the home team will be hoping to keep the contest competitive.
Updated at: