Wales face arguably biggest task in sport – stopping England

April 24, 2026 No Comments

Wales face arguably biggest task in sport – stopping EnglandImage source, Huw Evans/Getty ImagesImage caption, Wales captain Bethan Lewis and England captain Meg Jones are both fluent Welsh speakersByCeri Coleman-PhillipsBBC Sport WalesPublished13 minutes agoEngland against Wales – one team that has forgotten how to lose against a team that cannot remember how to win. The Red Roses are not only the best women’s rugby team in the world, but one of the most successful teams in any sport.They are on a 35-Test winning streak – chasing a fifth straight Grand Slam – and few expect that run to end on Saturday.Wales, in stark contrast, head to a sold-out Ashton Gate with just one victory in 12 Tests under Sean Lynn and without a win in the Six Nations since 2024.Despite a so-called injury crisis, England swept aside Scotland with a 12-try demolition last weekend in Edinburgh.

And while Wales were praised for showing grit in the defeat by France, they will need a near-superhuman effort to contain a side full of household names who run in tries for fun.

Guinness Women’s Six Nations

11 April to 17 May

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Watch every match live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app; listen to match commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live, Sports Extra and BBC Sounds; follow live text and match highlights online

Team news – Dallavalle out

Wales head coach Sean Lynn has lost two of his most experienced players this week, including ex-captain Hannah Dallavalle on Friday.

Her groin injury means Jenna De Vera – who only made her Test debut last week as a replacement against France – now starts the biggest game of her brief career while Freya Bell could now also win her first cap off the bench.

Lynn, already without flanker Alex Callender, also lost captain Kate Williams from his back-row following a calf injury.

It opens the door for Branwen Metcalfe to make her first Test start while Bethan Lewis takes over the armband.

That also frees up a spot on the bench for Alisha Joyce, who will make her comeback just five months after giving birth.

The 28-year-old flanker has only had half an hour of rugby in the Celtic Challenge this season, but has impressed in training.

The experience of Keira Bevan is preferred to Seren Lockwood at scrum-half.

Bevan and Joyce’s Bristol Bears team mate Millie David will make her England debut on the wing as John Mitchell once again shakes up his selection.

Claudia Moloney-MacDonald starts on the other wing, with Ellie Kildunne, who scored a hat-trick against Wales last year, returning to full-back.

Abi Burton and Delaney Burns make up a fourth-choice second row combination, while props MacKenzie Carson and Sarah Bern are promoted off the bench along with flanker Marlie Packer. Holly Aitchison returns at fly-half.

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View from the camps

“England are the trailblazers in the women’s game and have stolen a march on all of us in the Six Nations,” reported Wales head coach Sean Lynn.

“These are the games you want to play and get excited about and we will know where we stand after what we know will be a huge Test match.

“But this is all about us building our performances and style of play and developing our identity as a team.

“We need to show the same intensity and resilience that we have shown in the opening two games against Scotland and France and do it for longer.”

England head coach John Mitchell reported: “This week is about being clear on where our game is strong and where we need to improve. Wales are a side that over-commit at the contest, which will challenge us in a different way.

“Under Sean Lynn Wales are improving, playing with greater clarity and enthusiasm and we know we’ll have to earn that right again.

“For us it’s about elevating our game. That means being courageous in our skillsets, building better connections and owning our decisions. I love this side when it embraces those challenges, especially in front of a sold-out Ashton Gate.”

Proud skipper Lewis relishing the challenge of England

Commentator’s note

BBC Radio Wales commentator Gareth Rhys Owen: “Damage limitation, foregone conclusion, against all the odds — take your pick. That’s the backdrop for Wales against England.

“If Wales win this, it goes down as one of the biggest shocks the game has seen. But everything points the other way. England smashed Scotland despite an ‘injury crisis’, and now make seven changes from that game. That tells you everything about their depth.

“Wales are still searching for something to cling to. There’s effort, there’s intent, but against a side like this, that only takes you so far.

“A nice quirk — England have two Welsh speakers in Lucy Packer and captain Meg Jones — but there’ll be no sentiment out there.

“Expect no sympathy. Expect England to be comfortable.”

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Match stats

England have won 22 out of 24 meetings against Wales, their only defeats coming in 2015 and 2009
England have won each of their last 50 international matches on home soil, their last defeat in England coming in November 2016. They have never lost at home to Wales in Test rugby, winning all 20 meetings
Wales’ Bethan Lewis has made the most tackles of any player in the Women’s Six Nations this year (37) with team-mate Kate Williams making the most dominant tackles (4), while Gwen Crabb has won the most breakdown turnovers
England’s Sarah Bern is the top try scorer (4), crossing twice in each of the opening two rounds, while team-mate Zoe Harrison has scored the most points (24), not missing a single one of her 12 conversion attempts against Scotland

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Line-ups

England: Kildunne; David, Jones (capt), Rowland, Moloney-MacDonald; Aitchison, L Packer; Carson, Cokayne, Bern, Burton, Burns, Kabeya, M Packer, Feaunati.

Replacements: Powell, Clifford, Muir, Lutui, Short, Robinson, Harrison, Breach

Wales: Powell; Singleton, Keight, De Vera, J Joyce; George, Bevan; Pyrs, Jones, Tuipulotu, Aiono, Crabb, Metcalfe, Lewis (capt), King.

Replacements: Reardon, Davies, Rose, Evans, A Joyce, Lockwood, Bell, Richards.

Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)

Assistants: Jess Ling (RA), Beatrice Smussi (FIR)

TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)

FPRO: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

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