Wales rugby tune up for their inaugural Nations Championship tour with a fixture against the Barbarians at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
Steve Tandy’s side are gearing up for fixtures against Fiji, Argentina and South Africa in July as they embark on a tough summer tour to launch the new competition.
First, though, comes this non-capped clash with the famous invitational side, which will be part of a double header with Sean Lynn’s Wales women also in action against the same opposition.
Following another tough Women’s Six Nations campaign, Lynn will be hoping to see signs of improvement against a talented scratch side assembled to take them on.
Here’s everything you need to know.
When is Wales vs Barbarians?
The double-header will be held on Saturday 27 June at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, with the men’s match kicking off at 2pm BST and the women’s game following from 5pm BST.
How can I watch them?
Both encounters will be shown live on S4C, with Welsh and English language coverage available via the BBC iPlayer.
Team news (men’s match)
Jac Morgan makes his return to Welsh colours in welcome news to Steve Tandy after the flanker missed the Six Nations with a dislocated shoulder. Dewi Lake has been installed as skipper for the Nations Championship to come while Teddy Williams is another useful returnee to the second row after injury. All of Ryan Woodman, Harrison Keddie, Rhys Barratt and Ben Warren are uncapped inclusions on the bench.
Wales XV: 1 Gareth Thomas, 2 Dewi Lake (capt.), 3 Dillon Lewis; 4 Ben Carter, 5 Teddy Williams; 6 Taine Plumtree, 7 Jac Morgan, 8 Aaron Wainwright; 9 Kieran Hardy, 10 Dan Edwards; 11 Ellis Mee, 12 Joe Hawkins, 13 Eddie James, 14 Tom Rogers; 15 Blair Murray.
Replacements: 16 Ryan Elias, 17 Rhys Barratt, 18 Ben Warren, 19 Ryan Woodman, 20 Harrison Keddie; 21 Reuben Morgan-Williams, 22 Sam Costelow, 23 Mason Grady.
Elliot Dee and George North, in his final match before retirement, will take on familiar foes after the Welsh internationals were named as part of a talented matchday 23 assembled by former All Blacks boss Scott Robertson. Dee will start at hooker while North is primed to feature off the bench in a team captained by double World Cup-winning Springboks scrum half Faf de Klerk.
Barbarians XV: 1 Giorgi Kharaishvili, 2 Elliot Dee, 3 Vincent Koch; 4 Izack Rodda, 5 Romain Taofifenua; 6 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 7 Lachlan Boshier, 8 Nathan Hughes; 9 Faf de Klerk (capt.), 10 Harry Plummer; 11 Virimi Vakatawa, 12 Alex Nankivell, 13 Jeremy Ward, 14 Andrew Kellaway; 15 Tom Spring.
Replacements: 16 Harry Thacker, 17 Jack Iscaro, 18 Paul Alo-Emile, 19 Yoan Tanga, 20 Jordan Joseph; 21 Santiago Arata, 22 George North, 23 Liam McConnell.
Team news (women’s match)
Sean Lynn hands chances to five uncapped individuals in this unofficial Test, with Amy Williams and Kelsie Webster stepping into the start side and Stella Orrin, Lucy Isaac and Lily Hawkins pulling on international shirts at senior level for the first time. Kayleigh Powell is given a chance at fly half with Lleucu George among those rested.
Wales XV: 1 Maisie Davies, 2 Molly Reardon, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu; 4 Branwen Metcalfe, 5 Jorja Aiono; 6 Alisha Joyce, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bryonie King; 9 Seren Lockwood, 10 Kayleigh Powell; 11 Amy Williams, 12 Jenna De Vera, 13 Courtney Keight, 14 Kelsie Webster; 15 Nel Metcalfe.
Replacements: 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Katherine Baverstock, 18 Stella Orrin, 19 Alaw Pyrs, 20 Lucy Isaac; 21 Lily Hawkins, 22 Keira Bevan, 23 Freya Bell.
The Barbarians also have a Welshwoman in their ranks with Carys Phillips starting against plenty of former international colleagues at hooker. Ruby Tui, a World Cup winner with the Black Ferns in 2022, is an eye-catching inclusion on the wing while a midfield partnership of Canada’s Alex Tessier and Spain’s Claudia Pena is full of class.
Coached by Susie Appleby, the former Exeter boss has called on a few familiar faces from her days at Chiefs with Poppy Leitch and Liv McGoverne among them. Laura “Bimba” Delgado will retire from rugby after this game.
Barbarians XV: 1 Laura Delgado, 2 Carys PHillips, 3 Christine Belisle; 4 Poppy Leitch, 5 Sarah Bonar; 6 Amy Rule, 7 Emily Chancellor, 8 Rownita Marston-Mulhearn; 9 Caity Mattinson, 10 Liv McGoverne; 11 Rachel Lund, 12 Alex Tessier, 13 Claudia Pena, 14 Ruby Tui; 15 Lori Cramer.
Replacements: 16 Emily Tuttosi, 17 Bryony Cleall, 18 Charli Jacoby, 19 Amelia Buckland-Hurry, 20 Ilaria Arrighetti; 21 Jenny Maxwell, 22 Lagi Tuima, 23 Celia Quansah.
