Wales and Ireland are set to clash at Rodney Parade in a crucial Women's Six Nations encounter, with both teams eager to prove their mettle as the tournament approaches its climax. The match, scheduled for Sunday, 20 April at 15:00 BST, will be broadcast on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio Wales, and BBC Radio Cymru.

Both sides enter this penultimate round following heavy defeats at the hands of tournament powerhouses France and England. Ireland aims to capitalize on their away victory against Italy, while Wales is determined to climb off the bottom of the table and avoid a second consecutive wooden spoon. Historical matchups between Wales and Ireland have been closely contested, with each team delivering significant victories in recent years. Wales emerged victorious in Cardiff in 2023 with a 31-5 win, while Ireland responded with a 36-5 triumph in Cork the following year.

Despite the apparent cyclical nature of their victories, current form favors Ireland. They have ascended to become the fifth-best team globally after a successful autumn campaign that included a win against world champions New Zealand. In contrast, Wales has slipped to tenth in the rankings. However, under the guidance of new head coach Sean Lynn, Wales hopes to emulate Ireland's upward trajectory since Scott Bemand took charge two years ago.

Team News

Wales receives a boost with the return of vice-captain Alex Callender, who will make her first appearance of the campaign after recovering from a foot injury. Callender will play at number eight, shifting Georgia Evans to second row. Kelsey Jones will start at hooker, replacing Carys Phillips, marking the only other change to the starting lineup. Kayleigh Powell retains her position as fly-half, despite Lleucu George's recovery from a calf injury; George is named among the replacements. GB Sevens player Catherine Richards is also set to make her tournament debut from the bench.

Edel McMahon will captain Ireland, who are focused on securing their position as the 'best of the rest,' with England and France expected to compete for the Grand Slam. McMahon's return follows an injury that sidelined her for the previous match against England. She replaces Erin King, who is out for the rest of the tournament and the World Cup due to a serious knee injury. Additional changes include Siobhan McCarthy's first Test start at loose-head prop and Ruth Campbell's inclusion in the second row. Enya Breen returns in midfield, and Molly Scuffil-McCabe will start at scrum-half. Sadhbh McGrath and Claire Boles are recalled to the bench.

From the Camps

Wales head coach Sean Lynn emphasized the need for his team to match Ireland's energy, work rate, and physicality to make the game competitive. He highlighted Aoife Wafer and Dannah O'Brien as key Irish players to watch. Lynn also noted improvements in his team, particularly in collision dominance and capitalizing on line-breaks.

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand acknowledged the challenge of playing in Wales, citing the passionate home crowd. He stressed the importance of winning away games as preparation for the World Cup and expressed confidence in his team's readiness to face the challenges.

Gareth Rhys Owen noted the shift in expectations for Wales, pointing out that the pressure is on for the upcoming matches after losses to Scotland, England and France. A win for Ireland, he said, would solidify their hopes of finishing as the best of the rest.

Match Stats

Ireland has dominated recent Six Nations encounters against Wales, winning 10 of the last 13 matches, including a seven-game winning streak from 2012 to 2018. However, the last six clashes have been evenly split, with each side winning three. Wales has conceded the fewest penalties in the tournament (25) but has received the most cards (2 yellows, 1 red), while Ireland has been awarded the most penalties (31). Ireland's recent away form includes a 54-12 victory against Italy, which ended a streak of seven consecutive losses on the road. Standout players include Ireland's Neve Jones and Wales' Abbie Fleming, who are tied for the most turnover-winning tackles in the championship (3 each). Jones has a perfect tackle record (44/44), while Wales' Georgia Evans has made 55 tackles without a miss. Ireland's Aoife Wafer leads the Six Nations in carries (46).

Line-ups

Wales: Jasmine Joyce; Lisa Neumann, Hannah Jones (capt), Courtney Keight, Carys Cox; Kayleigh Powell, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Kelsey Jones, Jenni Scoble, Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans, Kate Williams, Bethan Lewis, Alex Callender.

Replacements: Carys Phillips, Maisie Davies, Donna Rose, Natalia John, Alaw Pyrs, Sian Jones, Lleucu George, Catherine Richards.

Ireland: Stacey Flood; Anna McGann, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh; Dannah O'Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Siobhán McCarthy, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang, Ruth Campbell, Dorothy Wall, Brittany Hogan, Edel McMahon (capt), Aoife Wafer.

Replacements: Cliodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, Fiona Tuite, Claire Boles, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.