Lake to win 50th cap for Wales against Spain

WXV2 play-off: Wales v Spain

Venue: Cardiff Arms Park Date: Saturday, 29 June Kick off: 17:35 BST

Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary, followed by report on the BBC Sport website and app.

Centre Kerin Lake will win her 50th cap as Wales take on Spain in Saturday's WXV play-off.

Wales need a victory over the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship winners to ensure they play in the second tier of the global competition this autumn.

A win would also guarantee qualification for next year's Rugby World Cup in England.

Lake comes into the squad as one of seven players who were crowned Premiership Women's Rugby champions with Gloucester-Hartpury last weekend.

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham has gone with largely the same side that beat Italy in their only win of the Six Nations this year.

There is a minor shuffle to the pack in the absence of injured Natalia John, with Georgia Evans moving to lock alongside Abbie Fleming.

They pack down behind Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips and Sisilia Tuipulotu.

Bethan Lewis comes in at number eight with Alisha Butchers and Alex Callender making up the back row.

Keira Bevan partners Lleucu George in the half-backs, with Lake forming a familiar midfield with skipper Hannah Jones.

Lisa Neumann and Carys Cox are named on the wings, with Jenny Hesketh at full-back.

Replacement fly-half Robyn Wilkins is recalled after missing out on the Six Nations squad.

WXV is World Rugby's latest annual tournament for women's rugby. It launched last year with Wales playing in the top tier, WXV1.

But after a disappointing Six Nations, WXV2 is the best Wales can aim for this September.

If they beat Spain, they will join hosts South Africa, Scotland, Italy, Australia and Japan.

Saturday's loser will drop into WXV3, which would be a major step backwards for Wales since turning professional. That tournament will be held in Dubai against much lower ranked opposition.

Spain are familiar opponents to Wales having featured in the Women's Six Nations up until 2006.

They beat Wales in the last meeting between the two sides, winning 29-5 in a 2019 autumn Test in Madrid.

The Spanish side come into the play-off full of confidence having beaten Sweden 53-0 to record a seventh straight win and clinch the 2024 Rugby Europe Championship.

Currently ranked 13th in the world, five places behind Wales, they have also prepared for Saturday's Test with warm-up games against Canada.

Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said: “The focus all of this week has been on what we need to do and how we are going to play, and making sure we have the detail in our game right.

"We need to play with tempo and know Spain will view this vital game as a way to make a statement.

“We need to build on the win in our final game of the Guinness Six Nations against Italy and have selected the bulk of the team who delivered on that day."

Paying tribute to Lake, Cunningham added: "She is a popular and respected figure in the squad and the players will want to put in a performance to celebrate her achievement at international level.”

Line-ups

Wales: Jenny Hesketh; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Kerin Lake, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans, Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis

Replacements: Molly Reardon, Abbey Constable, Donna Rose, Kate Williams, Gwennan Hopkins, Sian Jones, Robyn Wilkins, Courtney Keight.

Spain: TBC

Replacements:

Officials

Referee: Aurelie Groizeleau (FFR)

Assistants: Holly Wood (RFU), Adele Robert (BEL)

TMO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)