Royal New Zealand Navy officer Kate Williams is set to make her Wales debut in the Six Nations opener against Ireland.
Swansea-born Williams is named among the replacements, having moved back to Wales after the World Cup.
Head coach Ioan Cunningham has shaken up his side for Saturday, with Carys Williams-Morris moving to the wing.
Bethan Lewis is preferred to Sioned Harries at number eight, while Keira Bevan returns at scrum-half.
Bevan partners Elinor Snowsill, with Ffion Lewis named on the bench.
Worcester wing Hannah Bluck is also set for a return from the international wilderness, following her assault conviction in May 2021.
Sisilia Tuipulotu, who made her Wales debut the last time the two sides met, packs down in the front row having transitioned from lock to prop. She is joined by Gwenllian Pyrs and Kelsey Jones.
Abbie Fleming, who captained Wales’ Celtic Challenge team, comes in at second row, and is joined by Gwen Crabb who has recovered from a broken leg in December.
Lewis forms a back row with Wales’ standout World Cup player Alex Callender and Georgia Evans.
Alisha Butchers and Donna Rose will miss the entire campaign with both suffering serious knee injuries at the World Cup, while Jasmine Joyce and Kayleigh Powell are both away on GB sevens duty.
Captain Hannah Jones is reunited with her long-term midfield partner Kerin Lake after Williams-Morris’ switch.
Lisa Neumann is named on the wing with Courtney Keight back in the side at full-back having missed out on selection for the World Cup.
Cunningham said there were “tough calls” around his team selection, though was happy with the level of competition.
“It’s great to see Kate Williams in the squad and she has really contributed to the squad since she has been here and it’s great to give her an opportunity to win her first cap,” he said.
“Overall, we have looked for settled combinations and partnerships and the focus has been very much on selecting a side to face Ireland.
“We want to back up what we achieved last year but we also feel we should have won three games last season. So we want to build on last year and starting at home is real positive for us.”
Ireland will be looking to avenge Wales’ win in Dublin last year, where Cunningham’s side came from behind to win 27-19, while Wales are still hurting from a 45-0 thrashing the last time the Irish came to Cardiff.
Wales begin their campaign in their second year as professionals, with 25 players now full-time, and will be looking to build on last year’s third-place finish, their best in 13 years.
Ireland handed out 29 professional deals last autumn, 10 for their 15-a-side players and the remainder going into their sevens set-up. They also have a new head coach in Greg McWilliams.
Unlike the five other nations, Ireland did not qualify to play in World Cup last October, but will not be going into the Six Nations undercooked having toured Japan instead.
Wales: C Keight; L Neumann, H Jones (capt), K Lake, C Williams-Morris; E Snowsill, K Bevan; G Pyrs, K Jones, S Tuipulotu, A Fleming, G Crabb, G Evans, A Callender, B Lewis
Replacements: K Evans, C Thomas, C Hale, K Williams, S Harries, F Lewis, L George, H Bluck
Ireland: M Deely; A Doyle, A Dalton, E Breen, N Behan; N Cronin, M Scuffil-McCabe; S McGrath, N Jones, L Djougang, N Fryday, S Monaghan, D Wall, M Og O’Leary, B Hogan.
Replacements: D Nic a Bhaird, N O’Dowd, C Haney, J Brown, G Moore, H O’Connor, D O’Brien, V Irwin.
Source – BBC Sport
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