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WXV 2: Second round team news as Thomson, Lloyd return for Scotland
WXV 2 2024 moves inland this weekend as the action shifts to Athlone Sports Stadium and the race for the title intensifies.
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The second round kicks off at 16:00 local time (GMT+2) on Friday as two winless Guinness Women’s Six Nations sides, Wales and Italy, bid to inject some momentum into their campaigns in Cape Town.
On Saturday, Scotland continue their title defence against Japan at 14:00 local time before hosts South Africa take on Australia three hours later.
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Get all the team news for the second round of WXV 2 matches below as and when it drops.
Wales v Italy
Captain Hannah Jones returns to the Wales starting line-up as Ioan Cunningham’s side attempt to kick-start their campaign in Cape Town.
Jones was a late withdrawal from the matchday 23 that lost 37-5 to Australia, having been named on the bench, and is the only personnel change to the team that took the field at DHL Stadium.
Her inclusion in midfield means Carys Cox moves to the right wing and Jasmine Joyce to full-back, with Jenny Hesketh dropping out of the squad altogether.
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Flanker Alex Callender retains her place at openside having been called in late to start Saturday’s opening match in place of Kate Williams, who is fit enough for a place on the bench against Italy.
Sisilia Tuipulotu, whose arrival in South Africa was delayed by a visa issue, is named among the replacements as are fellow prop Maisie Davies and second row Alaw Pyrs.
Forwards Abbey Constable, Jenni Scoble and Bryonie King all drop out of the matchday squad.
Italy head coach Giovanni Raineri has made four personnel changes to the team that lost 19-0 to Scotland last weekend.
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Harlequins prop Silvia Turani returns to the number one jersey, while there are starts in the pack for lock Valeria Fedrighi and openside flanker Francesca Sgorbini.
Sara Tounesi moves from the second row to blindside flanker with Emanuela Stecca and Beatrice Veronese dropping to the bench and Ilaria Arrighetti out of the squad altogether.
The only change in the backline comes in midfield, where Michela Sillari comes in at outside centre, to partner Beatrice Rigoni.
Raineri has opted for a six-two split among the replacements, with Sara Mannini and Beatrice Capomaggi providing back cover.
Wales: 15. Jasmine Joyce, 14. Carys Cox, 13. Hannah Jones (captain), 12. Kerin Lake, 11. Nel Metcalfe, 10. Lleucu George, 9. Keira Bevan, 1. Gwenllian Pyrs, 2. Carys Phillips, 3. Donna Rose, 4. Natalia John, 5. Georgia Evans, 6. Alisha Butchers, 7. Alex Callender, 8. Bethan Lewis.
Replacements: 16. Molly Reardon, 17. Maisie Davies, 18. Sisilia Tuipulotu, 19. Alaw Pyrs, 20. Kate Williams, 21. Sian Jones, 22. Kayleigh Powell, 23. Courtney Keight.
Italy: 15. Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, 14. Aura Muzzo, 13. Michela Sillari, 12. Beatrice Rigoni, 11. Francesca Granzotto, 10. Emma Stevanin, 9. Sofia Stefan, 1. Silvia Turani, 2. Vittoria Vecchini, 3. Sara Seye, 4. Valeria Fedrighi, 5. Giordana Duca, 6. Sara Tounesi, 7. Francesca Sgorbini, 8. Elisa Giordano (captain).
Replacements: 16. Laura Gurioli, 17. Emanuela Stecca, 18. Vittoria Zanette, 19. Alessandra Frangipani, 20. Alissa Ranuccini, 21. Beatrice Veronese, 22. Sara Mannini, 23. Beatrice Capomaggi.
Japan v Scotland
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has freshened up his pack for the second-round meeting with Japan in Cape Town.
Four of the six personnel changes from the victory against Italy come in the forwards, where loosehead prop Leah Bartlett, lock Louise McMillan flanker Alex Stewart and No.8 Jade Konkel all return.
In the backs, Lisa Thomson and Rhona Lloyd are recalled, with Meryl Smith moving from inside to outside centre.
Eva Donaldson is included on the replacements’ bench having sat out the opener last weekend.
Lesley McKenzie, meanwhile, has made only two changes to the Japan team beaten narrowly by South Africa on the opening day.
Up front, hooker Asuka Kuge is preferred to Kotomi Taniguchi, who drops to the bench.
The only other change to the starting line-up comes in the backs as Rinka Matsuda is selected on the right wing in place of Misaki Matsumura.
Prop Yuka Sadaka, lock Sakurako Korai and fly-half Minori Yamamoto are all recalled to the matchday squad as replacements.
Japan: 15. Sora Nishimura, 14. Rinka Matsuda, 13. Mana Furuta, 12. Haruka Hirotsu, 11. Komachi Imakugi, 10. Ayasa Otsuka, 9. Moe Tsukui, 1. Sachiko Kato, 2. Asuka Kuge, 3. Wako Kitano, 4. Yuna Sato, 5. Otoka Yoshimura, 6. Masami Kawamura, 7. Iroha Nagata (captain), 8. Seina Saito.
Replacements: 16. Kotomi Taniguchi, 17. Manami Mine, 18. Yuka Sadaka, 19. Sakurako Korai, 20. Jennifer Nduka, 21. Megumi Abe, 22. Minori Yamamoto, 23. Kanako Kobayashi.
Scotland: 15. Chloe Rollie, 14. Rhona Lloyd, 13. Meryl Smith, 12. Lisa Thomson, 11. Francesca McGhie, 10. Helen Nelson, 9. Caity Mattinson, 1. Leah Bartlett, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Christine Belisle, 4. Louise McMillan, 5. Sarah Bonar, 6. Rachel Malcolm (captain), 7. Alex Stewart, 8. Jade Konkel.
Replacements: 16. Elis Martin, 17. Anne Young, 18. Lisa Cockburn, 19. Eva Donaldson, 20. Evie Gallagher, 21. Leia Brebner-Holden, 22. Emma Orr, 23. Lucia Scott.
South Africa v Australia
Lusanda Dumke will captain South Africa against Australia on Saturday having been promoted to the starting XV as one of four personnel changes.
Dumke takes over the number six jersey from Sizophila Solontsi, while Danelle Lochnar is named at lock in place of usual captain Nolusindiso Booi. Solontsi and Booi both drop to the bench.
Scrum-half Unam Tose and outside centre Zintle Mpupha come into the backs, with Eloise Webb switching from midfield to full-back.
Head coach Swys de Bruin has again opted for a six-two split on the bench, where Felicia Jacobs and Byrhandre Dolf provide back cover.
Australia head coach Jo Yapp has made only one change as the Wallaroos prepare to face the hosts in Cape Town.
Centre Cecilia Smith comes into the midfield alongside Georgina Friedrichs, with Trilleen Pomare dropping to the bench.
Flanker Ashley Marsters, meanwhile, will draw level with Liz Patu on a Wallaroos-record 33 Test appearances this weekend, having been named in the back row alongside Siokapesi Palu and Tabua Tuinakauvadra.
There are further changes on the replacements’ bench where prop Allana Sikimeti and scrum-half Samantha Wood are set for their first involvement in the tournament.
South Africa: 15. Eloise Webb, 14. Jacomina Cilliers, 13. Zintle Mpupha, 12. Chumisa Qawe, 11. Ayanda Malinga, 10. Nadine Roos, 9. Unam Tose, 1. Sanelisiwe Charlie, 2. Roseline Botes, 3. Babalwa Latsha, 4. Danelle Lochnar, 5. Vainah Ubisi, 6. Lusanda Dumke (captain), 7. Sinazo Mcatshulwa, 8. Aseza Hele.
Replacements: 16. Micke Gunter, 17. Yonela Ngxingolo, 18. Azisa Mkiva, 19. Nolusindiso Booi, 20. Catha Jacobs, 21. Sizophila Solontsi, 22. Felicia Jacobs, 23. Byrhandre Dolf.
Australia: 15. Caitlyn Halse, 14. Maya Stewart, 13. Georgina Friedrichs, 12. Cecilia Smith, 11. Desiree Miller, 10. Faitala Moleka, 9. Layne Morgan, 1. Bridie O’Gorman, 2. Tania Naden, 3. Eva Karpani, 4. Kaitlan Leaney, 5. Michaela Leonard (captain), 6. Siokapesi Palu, 7. Ashley Marsters, Tabua Tuinakauvadra.
Replacements: 16. Tiarna Molloy, 17. Lydia Kavoa, 18. Allana Sikimeti, 19. Atasi Lafai, 20. Lucy Dinnen, 21. Samantha Wood, 22. Trilleen Pomare, 23. Lori Cramer.
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This will be another tight affair but Wales should have enough.