Wales hope drastic reshuffle revives their World Cup hopes
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FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Women's World Cup 2025 - Pool B - Scotland v Wales - Salford Community Stadium, Salford, Britain - August 23, 2025 Wales players line up for the national anthems before the match Action Images via Reuters/Craig Brough/File Photo
REUTERS
Substantive changes to the Wales line-up for their Women's Rugby World Cup clash against Canada on Saturday are a last-ditch effort to try and salvage their hopes, barely a week into the tournament and after a horror year for Welsh rugby.
A devastating 38-8 loss to Scotland in their Pool B opener at Manchester last weekend has left their hopes hanging by a thread, effectively needing to upset second-ranked Canada in order to have a realistic chance of progress to the knockout stages.
The clash at the Salford Community Stadium kicks off a busy weekend of matches as all 16 teams at the tournament, being hosted by England, play a second game, and Wales are hoping a shake-up does the trick.
Wales coach Sean Lynn reshuffled his line-up with seven changes to try to keep their hopes alive and spare Welsh rugby from yet more ignominy in a year in which their men’s team suffered a record streak of defeats and there was no Welshman in a British & Irish Lions team for the first time since 1896.
Wales' women went into the World Cup with a higher ranking than Scotland but have now dropped to 10th and are underdogs against Canada, needing victory to save their tournament as Scotland are fancied to beat outsiders Fiji in Saturday's second game at the Salford Community Stadium.
"There have been changes and they have been made because players have earned the opportunity in training to play in a World Cup," said Lynn.
"All 23 players selected have been told to be brave and to have no regrets when they walk off the field on Saturday."
Wales had already lost co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams to injury suffered against the Scots, meaning flanker Bethan Lewis captains for the first time as she wins her 60th cap.
"We have taken a hard look at ourselves and there have been honest conversations about the performance we need against one of the best teams in the world," added the coach.
"Canada are the number two team in the world and one of the favourites to win the World Cup and we know they will be a major challenge.
"We need to bring real energy and pride in the jersey and the focus all week has been on us and what we need to do to produce a performance on Saturday."
Wales, appearing at a ninth World Cup, were quarter-finalists at the last tournament in New Zealand four years ago. REUTERS
