Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham has named a 37-player squad for the 2022 TikTok Women’s Six Nations.
The Championship will be the first to feature professional Welsh players, after 12 of them signed full-time contracts with the WRU.
A further dozen have also agreed part-time ‘retainer’ contracts with the union, with Lleucu George the latest to the added to that list and she is in the squad, which is captained by lock Siwan Lillicrap.
Six uncapped players have been called up in Lowri Norkett, Liliana Podpadec, Jenni Scoble, Emma Hennessey, Emma Swords and Sisilia Tuipuloutu, who all played in Wales’ recent warm-up game against USA.
There are returns from injury for Kayleigh Powell, Kelsey Jones and Gemma Rowland, while George could be set for a first cap since March 2020 and Sioned Harris, who hasn’t featured for Wales since November 2019, is also recalled.
Wales get their campaign under way against Ireland at the RDS Arena, Dublin, on Saturday, 26 March.
Cunningham, who is in charge of his first TikTok Women’s Six Nations, said: “Kayleigh Powell and Sisilia Tuipulotu have been excellent additions to the group since taking up retainer contracts, they have continued to progress in that time and we are excited to see how they go in the Six Nations.
“In terms of the uncapped players, centre Lowri Norkett has made a positive impact in training and against the USA while Emma Swords is a very smart scrum-half we’ve been following at Harlequins for a while and we like what she brings to the environment.
“Emma Hennessy shows some real exciting attacking ability on the wing, bringing her into the environment will only help her get better.
“Jenni Scoble and Liliana have been excellent for Llandaff North, they are both great athletes in their respective positions (prop and lock).
“It’s great to have Kelsey and Gemma back and to have Sioned on board with her experience will be a huge asset.”
Wales squad for the 2022 TikTok Women’s Six Nations
Forwards
Siwan Lillicrap (captain, Bristol Bears), Alisha Butchers (Bristol Bears), Alex Callender (Worcester Warriors), Gwen Crabb (Glouecster-Hartpury), Cara Hope (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kat Evans (Saracens), Abbie Fleming (Exeter Chiefs), Cerys Hale (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sioned Harries (Worcester Warriors), Natalia John (Bristol Bears), Manon Johnes (Bristol Bears), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), Liliana Podpadec (Llandaff North), Carys Phillips (Worcester Warriors), Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Donna Rose (Saracens), Jenni Scoble (Llandaff North), Caryl Thomas (Worcester Warriors), Sisilia Tuipulotu (Gloucester-Hartpury)
Backs
Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears), Lleucu George (Gloucester-Hartpury), Emma Hennessy (Cheltenham Tigers), Hannah Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears), Courtney Keight (Bristol Bears), Kerin Lake (Gloucester-Hartpury), Caitlin Lewis (Exeter Chiefs), Ffion Lewis (Worcester Warriors), Lisa Neumann (Gloucester-Hartpury), Lowri Norkett (Pontyclun), Kayleigh Powell (Bristol Bears), Gemma Rowland (Wasps), Emma Swords (Harlequins), Elinor Snowsill (Bristol Bears), Niamh Terry (Exeter Chiefs), Robyn Wilkins (Gloucester-Hartpury)
