Wales Aim To Salvage World Cup Pride In Fiji Finale

Women's Rugby World Cup 2025: Wales v Fiji

Venue: Sandy Park, Exeter Date: Saturday, 6 September Kick-off: 14:45 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC Two, BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport online and app, Radio Wales, Radio Cymru and BBC Sounds

At a glimpse Wales v Fiji appears to beryllium a meaningless dormant rubber connected a World Cup play packed pinch heavyweight clashes and knockout deciders.

But delve a small deeper and location are immoderate tasty sub-plots successful this first ever Test gathering betwixt nan 2 sides, and 1 that has attracted a sell-out Sandy Park crowd of 15,000.

For Wales, it is simply a last chance to beryllium their master worthy and soundlessness immoderate of nan critics aft dense defeats by Scotland and Canada.

While Fiji, led by Wales' erstwhile caput coach Ioan Cunningham, will nary uncertainty fancy their chances against a broadside debased connected assurance and debased connected form.

While Cunningham said he bore nary sick will towards Wales aft his arguable departure past year, he would surely emotion to get 1 complete connected his erstwhile side.

It is simply a reliable 1 to call. Fiji person only ever played 45 Tests, while Wales hooker Carys Phillips unsocial has played almost double that.

Wales separator it connected insubstantial but nan mobility is which Wales will show up?

Wales caput coach Sean Lynn has had a reshuffle erstwhile again, pinch co-captains Alex Callender and Kate Williams some returning to nan broadside aft picking up knocks successful nan opening information against Scotland.

Experienced hooker Carys Phillips has been trusted to dependable Wales' malfunctioning lineout, replacing Molly Reardon who drops to nan bench.

Great Britain sevens subordinate Kayleigh Powell makes her first commencement of nan tourney having made a notable effect disconnected nan chair against Canada. She is named astatine full-back, pinch Wales' standout subordinate Nel Metcalfe switching to nan helping successful spot of Jasmine Joyce-Butchers.

Georgia Evans moves to nan 2nd statement to accommodate nan returning Callender, pinch Abbie Fleming joining an knowledgeable chair alongside nan likes of Hannah Dallavalle and Gwenllian Pyrs.

Fiji caput coach Ioan Cunningham has besides made changes, immoderate enforced done wounded and suspension.

Vice-captain Bilita Tawake is unavailable aft being handed a 3 lucifer prohibition for a vulnerable tackle against Scotland and is replaced astatine hooker by Keleni Marawa.

Karalaini Naisewa is besides a caller look successful nan beforehand row, while Asinate Serevi, nan girl of Fijian rugby royalty Waisale Serevi, gets a commencement astatine lock.

Repeka Tove and Kolora Lomani travel successful connected nan wings aft making an effect from nan chair past weekend, while Alfreda Fisher erstwhile again leads nan side.

"We want to make judge that we're finishing nan tourney connected a high," said Wales leader Lynn.

"It looks for illustration some teams are going to propulsion nan room descend astatine each other. It's going to beryllium a superb conflict and I'm hoping we travel retired connected top, but I've asked nan girls to travel disconnected [the pitch] crawling.

"I thought they [Fiji] put successful a really beardown capacity against Scotland.

"They're very breathtaking erstwhile they've sewage nan shot successful hand, and it's conscionable making judge that erstwhile we've sewage nan ball, we're looking aft it, going done nan phases and testing them successful defence arsenic well."

Wales co-captain Alex Callender said: "The tourney hasn't gone to plan, results haven't gone our way, but this is simply a crippled we want to win, showcase nan squad we are and really difficult we've worked complete nan past mates of months.

"This play is astir forwards moving difficult set-piece wise, and nan backs gelling together and complimenting each different to get complete nan whitewash."

"We person been forced into immoderate changes, but it's a beardown squad that we've put out, we're sewage immoderate beardown combinations together and we've rewarded immoderate players that person trained really well," said Fiji caput coach Cunningham.

"If we tin get our foundations correct and our fundamentals successful nan crippled it will springiness america a really bully opportunity to situation Wales.

"If we tin unopen down Lleucu's [George] clip and space, past her kicking crippled will beryllium put nether pressure, but I'm judge they'll look astatine much of a territory and group portion crippled wherever we want nan shot successful manus a spot more.

Fiji fastener Asinate Serevi said: "We're looking guardant to playing Wales this play and we're reminding each different that we request to extremity connected a high.

"We're excited to spot nan chemistry, it's decidedly going to beryllium a bully game, we don't cognize really bully a squad is until we play them.

"We want to animate nan adjacent procreation of Fijiana players, and to make judge we're remembered for our fighting spirit."

BBC Radio Wales commentator Gareth Rhys Owen said: "How do you waste Saturday's crippled to nan Welsh public? Well, there's nan beingness of their erstwhile coach, a Welshman starring their opponents and that's astir it really.

"Things could not person gone overmuch worse for Sean Lynn's squad successful their opening 2 fixtures, and nan reality is that this crippled has nan imaginable to further nan imperishable authorities of slump for Welsh rugby.

"Ioan Cunningham's Fiji showed capable committedness and endeavor successful their conclusion to Scotland to propose that they tin trial and strain a squad that is debased connected confidence."

Wales: Kayleigh Powell; Lisa Neumann, Carys Cox, Courtney Keight, Nel Metcalfe; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Maisie Davies, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu, Georgia Evans, Gwen Crabb, Kate Williams (co-capt), Bethan Lewis, Alex Callender (co-capt)

Replacements: Molly Reardon, Gwenllian Pyrs, Donna Rose, Abbie Fleming, Bryonie King, Seren Lockwood, Hannah Dallavalle, Jasmine Joyce-Butchers

Fiji: Litiana Vueti; Repeka Tove, Verenaisi Ditavutu, Josifini Neihamu, Kolora Lomani; Salanieta Kinita, Setaita Railumu, Karalaini Naisewa, Keleni Marawa, Vika Matarugu, Jade Coates, Asinate Serevi, Nunia Daunimoala, Alfreda Fisher (capt), Manuqalo Komaitai

Replacements: Selai Naliva, Carletta Yee, Tiana Robanakdavu, Mereoni Nakesa, Sulita Waisega, Repeka Mata, Kelerayani Luvu, Salote Nailolo.

Referee: Kat Roche (USAR)

Assistants: Lauren Jenner (FIR), Jess Ling (RA)

TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)

FPRO: Leo Colgan (IRFU)