Wales Bolster Lineup with Returning Stars Ahead of Clash with France

The Welsh national rugby union team is set to welcome the return of key players Courtney Keight and Kayleigh Powell as they gear up to take on France in their latest Women’s Six Nations matchup.

Despite a winless campaign so far, with losses against Scotland, England, and Ireland, the Welsh squad is determined to bounce back and showcase their true potential when they host France at Cardiff Arms Park on Sunday.

Fullback Powell, who last featured for Wales at the Rugby World Cup, is eager to make her long-awaited return to the starting XV, joining winger Keight who also overcomes a lengthy injury layoff. The duo’s inclusion is part of seven changes made by head coach Ioan Cunningham following the 36-5 defeat in Cork.

“Obviously we were really gutted after the Ireland game, but that has spurred us on even more to give it everything against France,” Powell told BBC Sport Wales.

The 24-year-old acknowledges the team’s underdog status against the French, who are tipped to challenge England for the Six Nations title, but insists the pressure is on the visitors.

“Going in as underdogs relieves a little bit of pressure on us, but we’ve got a lot of pressure on ourselves to perform better than we did against Ireland,” Powell explained. “We’re not expected to win, all the pressure is on France, but we’ve definitely still got to turn up which is obviously what we didn’t do against Ireland.”

After a brutally honest review this week, the Welsh squad has gone back to basics, determined to rediscover the confidence and team cohesion that has eluded them so far.

“We need to remember how good a team we are when we’re all on the right page and giving each other 100%,” Powell emphasized.

The returns of Powell and Keight will provide a much-needed boost as Wales seek to end their Six Nations drought against the formidable French. Coverage of the highly anticipated clash will be available live on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer, and BBC Radio, with highlights on Scrum V Six Nations later that evening.

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