Wales recall Singleton for must-win Italy game

Seren Singleton in action for WalesImage source, Huw Evans Picture Agency
Image caption,

Seren Singleton has won three senior caps for Wales

ByCeri Coleman-Phillips
BBC Sport Wales
  • Published

Seren Singleton returns on the wing as Wales' only starting change for Sunday's final Six Nations game against Italy (12:15 BST).

Singleton made her debut against Scotland in the opening round, and also started against France and England, but sat out last weekend's defeat in Ireland with Hannah Dallavalle given the nod.

Dallavalle moves to the bench this week, with Freya Bell dropping out of the matchday 23 altogether.

Wales head coach Sean Lynn was frustrated with the performance in Belfast but has given his side a chance at redemption, saying "they are the ones that are going to fix it".

Wales have lost their past nine games in the Championship and are at serious risk of picking up a third consecutive Wooden Spoon.

They can avoid finishing bottom this year if they beat the Azzurre and if Scotland also leave Dublin empty-handed when taking on Ireland.

"We came into camp on Tuesday this week and you could see the frustration from the players," Lynn said.

"One thing I've said to the girls and staff this week, we've got 80 minutes to put that right. We haven't next week.

"So going into Italy, it's about an 80-minute performance, putting everything right, pulling it together from Ireland, but taking the positives that we've had from Scotland, France and England."

Italy arrive in Cardiff having backed up a convincing win over Scotland by scoring five tries against world champions England.

And Lynn knows Wales will need to be defensively sound against a side which put a record score on Wales in last year's final round in Parma.

"You don't get a free-flowing attacking team if you can make sure you're winning the collisions," he said.

"If you're looking at a small win against Ireland, we gave them the slowest ruck speed in the tournament so far. So it's making sure that we can be competitive in that area to slow them up and keep that consistency."

How they line up

Wales: Powell; Singleton, Cox, Keight, J Joyce; George, Bevan; Pyrs, Jones, Tuipulotu, Metcalfe, Evans, Aiono, Lewis (capt), King

Replacements: Reardon, Davies, Rose, John, A Joyce, Lockwood, Dallavalle, Prothero

Officials

Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)

Assistants: Emily Hope (RFU), Rebecca Piddlesden (RFU)

TMO: Dan Jones (RFU)

FPRO: Paul Haycock (IRFU)

Wales v Italy

Guinness Women's Six Nations

Sunday, 17 May, kick-off 12:15 BST

Cardiff Arms Park

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