Wales Unveils Squad for England Friendly at Headingley

Following their qualification for the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, secured with a 48-6 win over the Netherlands in June where Leanne Burnell scored the final goal, Wales is scheduled to compete against England in a friendly match on Saturday, 2 November. Head coach Tom Brindle has implemented six alterations to the lineup that secured their spot in the global tournament, set to take place in Australia and Papua New Guinea, by defeating the Netherlands. Beth Dainton is appointed to captain the team at Headingley, a venue that serves as the home stadium for her club, Leeds Rhinos. Carys Marsh rejoins the squad after being absent from the qualifying campaign due to injury, while Emily Hughes has also been recalled, her last international game having been in October 2022. Dani McGifford and Olivia Williams are slated to make their first international appearances. The Welsh team’s World Cup qualification was achieved merely five years after their inaugural international match. Coach Brindle stated, “We’re an ambitious team and testing ourselves against one of the world’s best is key to our long-term goals.” He added, “Qualifying for the World Cup on our first attempt was a milestone but our aim is to compete at the level of the established, professionally ran teams.” Brindle concluded, “We showed glimpses of that last year, and Saturday gives us another great opportunity to see how far we’ve come and how close we are to closing the gap.” The full Wales squad includes: Leanne Burnell, Katie Carr, Bethan Dainton (capt), Lucia Davis, Jasmine Gibbons, Gracie Hobbs, Emily Hughes, Ffion Jenkins, Hannah Jones, Sara Jones, Carys Marsh, Dani McGifford, Rhi Parker, Ashlea Prescott, Amy Price, Georgia Taylor, Meg Whittaker, Olivia Williams, Agnes Wood.