Wales women's national rugby league team
| Team information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Governing body | Wales Rugby League | |
| Region | Europe | |
| Head coach | Thomas Brindle | |
| Captain | Bethan Dainton | |
| Most caps | Kathryn Salter 10 | |
| Top try-scorer | Leanne Burnell 5 | |
| Top point-scorer | Kathryn Salter 52 (3 tries, 20 goals) | |
| IRL ranking | 7 1 (17 November 2025)[1] | |
| Uniforms | ||
| ||
| Team results | ||
| First international | ||
| 25 Jun 2021 vs England | ||
| Biggest win | ||
| 60-0 vs Italy | ||
| Biggest defeat | ||
| 0-80 vs England | ||
| World Cup | ||
| Appearances | Nil Qualified for 2026 | |
The Wales women's national Rugby League team represents Wales in Women's Rugby League. They are administered by the Wales Rugby League.
History
Wales's first match was a friendly against Great Britain Teachers in 2019, with a following friendly against England Lions (England's B team) in November of the same year. The first full international played by the team was in June 2021 against England.[2] Wales entered their first World Cup qualifying campaign in 2024, and victories over Ireland and The Netherlands saw them qualifying for the 2026 Women's Rugby League World Cup on 22 June.[3][4]
Stadium
In July 2024, The Gnoll in Neath became the home stadium of the team as well as all other Welsh national rugby league teams.[5]
Head to head records
| Opponent | FM | MR | M | W | D | L | Win% | PF | PA | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2021 | 2025 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0.00% | 6 | 296 | 2.50% |
| Ireland | 2021 | 2024 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 66.67% | 96 | 40 | 70.59% |
| Italy | 2022 | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 60 | 0 | 100.00% |
| France | 2023 | 2023 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 4 | 14 | 22.22% |
| Netherlands | 2024 | 2024 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 48 | 6 | 88.89% |
| Scotland | 2025 | 2025 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | 18 | 12 | 60.00% |
| Totals | 2021 | 2025 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 45.45% | 232 | 368 | 43.12% |
Notes:
- Table last updated 10 August 2025.
- Share is the portion of "For" points compared to the sum of "For" and "Against" points.
Players
The following players were named in the squads to play Scotland on 3 August 2025 and England on 9 August 2025.[6]
Tallies in the table include both matches. Players' ages are as at the date that the table was last updated, 14 August 2025.
Player Profiles are available on the Rugby League Wales website.
| Player | Age | Pos. | Club | Test Matches | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debut | Caps | T | G | Pts | ||||
| Leanne Burnell | 32 | Fullback, Scrum-half | Cardiff Demons | 2021 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 24 |
| Lucia Davies | 21 | Wing | Cardiff Demons | 2024 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Olivia Williams | — | Centre | Cardiff Demons | 2025 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kathryn Salter | 30 | Centre, Fullback | London Broncos | 2021 | 11 | 3 | 20 | 52 |
| Danielle McGifford | 30 | Wing | St Helens | 2024 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Megan Whittaker | 26 | Stand-off, Fullback | Cardiff Demons | 2024 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Amberley Ruck | 30 | Stand-off | Cardiff Demons | 2021 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
| Gracie Hobbs | 23 | Prop, Second-row | Huddersfield Giants | 2024 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Carys Marsh | 27 | Hooker, Scrum-half | Wigan Warriors | 2021 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Agnes Wood | 25 | Hooker | York Valkyrie | 2024 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Georgia Taylor | 29 | Second-row, Wing | Sheffield Eagles | 2023 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| Charlie Mundy | 29 | Second-row | Cardiff Demons | 2021 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Bethan Dainton | 36 | Loose forward, Second-row | Leeds Rhinos | 2022 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Jasmine Gibbons | 23 | Hooker, Centre | Cardiff Demons | 2023 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ffion Jenkins | 26 | Prop, Loose forward | Cardiff Demons | 2023 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hannah Jones | 31 | Second-row, Centre | Cardiff Demons | 2023 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Amy Price | 35 | Prop, Hooker | Cardiff Demons | 2023 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rhi Parker | 35 | Stand-off, Scrum-half | Cardiff Demons | 2022 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Ffion Jones | 25 | Prop | Cardiff Demons | 2021 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Sara Jones | 25 | Prop | Cardiff Demons | 2021 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ashlea Prescott | 31 | Centre | Featherstone Rovers | 2023 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brittony Price | 32 | Wing, Fullback | Fremantle Roosters | 2022 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 16 |
| Sioned Young | 33 | Loose forward | Cardiff Demons | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Notes:
- Georgia Cussons previously played under her maiden name, Taylor.
- Leanne Burnell and Hannah Jones came into the playing seventeen for the match against England.
- Ffion Jones and Sara Jones were included in the playing seventeen for the match against Scotland, but did not play against England.
- The named 18th players were Hannah Jones (against Scotland) and Rhi Parker (against England). Both were unused.
- Ashlea Prescott, Brittony Price, and Sioned Young missed selection in both matches.
Results
Full Internationals
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jun 2021 | England | 0–60 |
Test Match | Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington | [7] | [8][9][10][11] |
| 17 Oct 2021 | Ireland | 24–26 |
Test Match | Stadiwm ZipWorld, Colwyn Bay | [12][13] | [14][15][16] |
| 12 Jun 2022 | England | 6–32 |
Test Match | Pandy Park, Crosskeys | [17] | [18][19] |
| 19 Jun 2022 | Italy | 60–0 |
European Championship B | Pandy Park, Crosskeys | — | [20] |
| 8 Oct 2022 | Ireland | 44–4 |
Donnybrook, Dublin | — | [21] | |
| 29 Oct 2023 | France | 4–14 |
Test Match | Stade Albert Domec, Carcassonne | [22] | [23][24] |
| 4 Nov 2023 | England | 0–60 |
Test Match[a] | Headingley Stadium, Leeds | [26] | [27] |
| 27 Apr 2024 | Ireland | 28–10 |
2026 World Cup qualification Europe Group A | Cardiff University Sports Fields | [28] | [29][30] |
| 22 Jun 2024 | Netherlands | 48–6 |
Rugby Club Waterland, Purmerend | [31] | [3] | |
| 2 Nov 2024 | England | 0–80 |
Test Match[b] | Headingley Stadium, Leeds | [33] | |
| 3 Aug 2025 | Scotland | 18–12 |
Test Match | The Gnoll, Neath | [34] | [35] |
| 9 Aug 2025 | England | 0–62 |
Test Match | [36] | [37] |
Other matches
| Date | Opponent | Score | Tournament | Venue | Video | Report(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Oct 2019 | Great Britain Teachers | 6–30 |
Friendly | The Gnoll, Neath | [38] | [39] |
| 16 Nov 2019 | England Amateurs | 24–20 |
Friendly | Pilkington Recs, Ruskin Drive, St Helens | [40] | [41] |
Upcoming fixtures
Wales has qualified for the 2026 World Cup to be held in October-November 2026.[42]
| Opponent | Game Day | Time | Venue | Ref | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weekday | Date | Format | Local | AEDT | GMT | Sponsored Name | Actual Name | ||
| England | Saturday | 17 Oct 2026 | WM | 2:35 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:35 AM | HBF Park | Perth Rectangular Stadium | [43] |
| Samoa | Friday | 23 Oct 2026 | WM | 5:50 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:50 AM | CommBank Stadium | Western Sydney Stadium | [44] |
| Australia | Sunday | 1 Nov 2026 | WMM | 3:45 PM | 3:45 PM | 4:45 AM | CommBank Stadium | Western Sydney Stadium | [45] |
| Potential Semi-Final | Saturday | 7 Nov 2026 | WM | 5:55 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:55 AM | McDonald Jones Stadium | Newcastle International Sports Centre | [42] |
| Sunday | 8 Nov 2026 | WM | 5:55 PM | 5:55 PM | 6:55 AM | Allianz Stadium | Sydney Football Stadium | [42] | |
| Potential Final | Sunday | 15 Nov 2026 | WM | 3:15 PM | 4:15 PM | 5:15 AM | Suncorp Stadium | Lang Park, Brisbane | [42] |
Records
Margins and streaks
Biggest winning margins
| Margin | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 | 60–0 | Italy | Pandy Park | 19 June 2022 |
| 42 | 48–6 | Netherlands | RC Waterland | 22 June 2024 |
| 40 | 44–4 | Ireland | Estuary Road | 8 Oct 2022 |
Biggest losing margins
| Margin | Score | Opponent | Venue | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 82 | 0–82 | England | Headingley Stadium | 2 Nov 2024 |
| 62 | 0–62 | England | The Gnoll | 9 Aug 2025 |
| 60 | 0–60 | England | Headingley Stadium | 4 Nov 2023 |
| 60 | 0–60 | England | Halliwell Jones Stadium | 25 June 2021 |
| 26 | 6–32 | England | Pandy Park | 12 June 2022 |
Most consecutive wins
| Matches | First win | Last win | Days | Ended | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 19 Jun 2022 | 8 Oct 2022 | 111 days | 29 Oct 2023 | 1 year, 132 days |
| 2 | 27 Apr 2024 | 22 Jun 2024 | 56 days | 2 Nov 2024 | 189 days |
Most consecutive losses
| Matches | First loss | Last loss | Days | Ended | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 25 Jun 2021 | 12 Jun 2022 | 352 days | 19 Jun 2022 | 359 days |
Notes
References
- ^ "IRL World Rankings: Women". International Rugby League. 17 November 2025. Retrieved 17 November 2025.
- ^ "Wales Women's side heritage numbers announced". Wales Rugby League. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ a b "We've Done It – Wales Qualify for the Women'S World Cup Finals". Wales Rugby League. 22 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "Wales Women earn historic World Cup place with win over Netherlands". Rugby-League.com. 25 June 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ "Neath named as new home of Welsh Rugby League national teams - Wales Online". www.walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
- ^ "Carfan Cymru - Merched 2025". Wales Rugby League. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
- ^ "2021 England Women v Wales Women". YouTube. Sky Sports. 26 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ Hafez, Shamoom (25 June 2021). "Women's international: England 60-0 Wales - 10 different try-scorers for hosts". BBC. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ Smith, Lewis (25 June 2021). "England Gear Up For Rugby League World Cup With Huge Win Over Wales". The Sportsman. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
- ^ "England Women defeat Wales in impressive showing". Rugby-League.com. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Match Report - England 60 v 0 Wales". Wales Rugby League. 25 June 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Highlights - Wales vs Ireland Women - Ireland's first-ever International Women's Rugby League Match". YouTube. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
- ^ "17-10-21 Wales Women v Ireland Women". YouTube. Live Rugby. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ Fletcher, Charlotte (18 October 2021). "Match Report: Wales Women v Ireland Women". Rugby League Ireland. Archived from the original on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
- ^ "Wales 24 v 26 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Match Report - Wales 24 v 26 Ireland". Wales Rugby League. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Wales Women vs England Women - International Test Match". YouTube. The Sportsman Rugby League. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- ^ "Match Report - Wales 6 v 32 England". Wales Rugby League. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Report: Wales 6-32 England". Rugby-League.com. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2022.
- ^ "Wales 60 0 Italy". European Rugby League. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "Match Report - Ireland 4 v 44 Wales". Wales Rugby League. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ^ "Féminines : France vs Pays de Galles - le match complet". YouTube. Fédération Française de Rugby à XIII - FFR XIII Officiel. 31 October 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2024.
- ^ "Merched: France 14-4 Cymru". Wales Rugby League. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "France 14-4 Wales - Hosts too strong in Carcassonne". BBC. 29 October 2023. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ "Women's home nations clash confirmed: England to take on Wales at Headingley". Rugby-League.com. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 31 May 2023.
- ^ "Highlights - England Women v Wales". YouTube. Rugby-League.com. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
- ^ "England 60 0 Wales". European Rugby League. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
- ^ "Cymru v Ireland Highlights". facebook. Welsh Rugby League - Rygbi Cynghrair Cymru. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ^ Golden, Ian (27 April 2024). "Merched – Wales 28 Ireland 10". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
- ^ "Wales 28 v 10 Ireland - Match report". European Rugby League. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "NETHERLANDS v CYMRU - Saturday 22nd June - World Cup Qualifier". YouTube. Wales Rugby League. 22 June 2024. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "England women & wheelchair teams to host in autumn". BBC Sport. 2 August 2024. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ "Match report - England 82 v 0 Wales". Wales Rugby League. 2 November 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
- ^ "Wales v Scotland - Live Rugby League - English Commentary - S4C". YouTube. S4C Chwaraeon. 3 August 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "Wales Women work hard for win over Scotland". Wales Rugby League. 3 August 2025. Retrieved 4 August 2025.
- ^ "Cymru v Lloegr - Rygbi'r Gynghrair Merched Byw - Live Women's Rugby League - S4C". YouTube. S4C Chwaraeon. 9 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Womenʼs Internationals - Wales 0 v 62 England". NRL. 9 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
- ^ "Wales Women 6-30 GB Teachers - Rugby League". YouTube. Rugby-League.com. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Match Report - Wales 6 v 30 GB Teachers". Wales Rugby League. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
- ^ "Women's Rugby League international - England Lions v Wales". YouTube. Wales Rugby League. 18 November 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Golden, Ian (16 November 2019). "Wales Women secure historic first win as they beat England Lions". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
- ^ a b c d "World Cup Draw - Women - Matches". rlwc2026.com. RLWC26. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Women's Rugby League World Cup - Round 1 - England v Wales". NRL. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Women's Rugby League World Cup - Round 2 - Samoa v Wales". NRL. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
- ^ "Women's Rugby League World Cup - Round 3 - Australia v Wales". NRL. 23 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.