Wales pipped Scotland to finish third a year ago, their 34-22 win in Edinburgh proving decisive in their push for a top-half finish.
Third place this year will again result in a place in WXV1, making this a vital match in the 2024 Championship and beyond, with England and France the favourites to fill the top two spots again.
Wales were at the top table of women’s rugby last year but lost all three of their matches, while Scotland became champions of WXV2 - and are hoping to build on that success in the Six Nations.
To do that, they need to improve on their two Six Nations wins from last year and they can make a start by registering their first Championship win against Wales in three years.
Doing so on the road is considerably harder than at home – Scotland have not won away to their rivals in 20 years at this level and have picked up just one away win in the Championship since Italy joined in 2007.
TEAM NEWS
Centre Hannah Jones will captain Wales, with flanker Alex Callender as vice-captain.
Uncapped Jenny Hesketh will make her Wales debut at full-back with scrum-half Sian Jones poised to do the same off the replacements bench.
Lock Natalia John returns to the starting line-up after missing out on Wales’ WXV1 campaign in New Zealand in the autumn.
For Scotland, Loughborough Lightning’s Rachel Malcolm and Helen Nelson have been named as captain and vice-captain respectively.
Joining Malcolm in the back-row is Alex Stewart, who earns a first Scotland cap at openside flanker after impressing during her time in the Celtic Challenge.
Wingers Rhona Lloyd and Coreen Grant are selected as part of a back three also containing Meryl Smith, who features at full-back for the first time.
The bench is comprised of five forwards and three backs. GB Sevens star Shona Campbell makes her return to the XVs stage, joined by scrum-half replacement Mairi McDonald and full-back, Chloe Rollie.
KEY BATTLE – Alex Callender v Rachel Malcolm
Wales vice-captain Alex Callender and Scotland skipper Rachel Malcolm will go up against each other in the back row, adding an extra layer of intrigue to a match that is very hard to call.
Callender scored two tries in last year’s Championship as Wales finished an impressive third and, as the openside flanker, will be expected to disrupt Scotland’s breakdown.
Among the 101 players to feature for 160+ minutes in the 2023 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, only Marlie Packer (1.6) won more jackal turnovers per 80 minutes than Callender (1.4).
At 32, Malcolm has seen it all in a Scotland jersey but this might just be the most fruitful period of her Test career. The blindside flanker led her team to WXV 2 glory last year and knows how important an early win here will be.
Robust in defence and a menace with ball-in-hand, she will be a vital part of Scotland’s team.
WHAT THEY SAID
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham said: “There was much debate around this selection and that demonstrates the strength in depth we are now building in the squad. The players have been working really hard and pushing each other since we have been in camp, and we are looking forward to the challenge of Scotland in Cardiff.
“Test matches against Scotland have traditionally been close and tight affairs and we are expecting the same on Saturday.
“Jenny Hesketh has impressed on and off the field, since she joined up with us and fully deserves to make her Wales debut. Sian Jones was one of the standout players in the Celtic Challenge and we know how much she is looking forward to pulling on the red jersey and representing her country.
Scotland head coach Bryan Easson said: "It probably is the strongest squad I've been involved with. When you are sitting looking at a bench that has got Shona Campbell, Chloe [Rollie], Rachel McLachlan, you've got some players there that when you want to change the game, you've got potential to do that. It's testament to the squad we've got."
FANTASY
Wales have some top fantasy options, and none more so in the back row with Callender (18 stars) and Bethan Lewis (15 stars). Callender was Wales’s top fantasy performer in 2023, where she scored two tries, beat eight defenders, carried for 320m, made 58 tackles and made 6 breakdown steals.
They make a lethal back row combination alongside one of the stars of the 2022 Championship, Alisha Butchers (15 stars), and should once again pick up some big fantasy points. Another name worth mentioning is Keira Bevan (15 stars). As Wales’s first-choice kicker, she should accumulate some good fantasy points from the boot.
Scotland’s key player from a fantasy perspective is Lana Skeldon (16 stars).
Skeldon dotted down on four occasions in the 2023 Championship and has been also in prolific form at club level, scoring eight tries for Bristol Bears in the PWR. Last year Skeldon also contributed 73 tackles and three breakdown steals.
From a value perspective, one name to mark down is the versatile Sarah Bonar (10 stars).
Bonar has played both at second row and back row for Harlequins in the PWR this season, and has regularly delivered in her 10 club appearances, carrying for 340m, making 72 tackles and bringing two lineout steals. She’s a great option if you are looking for a value selection the second row.
STAT ATTACK
Since Italy joined the Guinness Women’s Six Nations in 2007, Wales have won 14 of their 16 matches against Scotland in the Championship (L2), including each of their seven meetings on Welsh soil during that period.
Five of the last six Guinness Women’s Six Nations matches between Wales and Scotland have been decided by margins of seven points or fewer, the exception being Wales’ 34-22 win in Edinburgh last year.
This will be the 11th consecutive Guinness Women’s Six Nations home game that Wales have played at Cardiff Arms Park, they’ve won three and lost seven of their 10 games in that run so far.
Scotland won more turnovers than any other team in the 2023 Guinness Women’s Six Nations (40) and were one of two teams to concede fewer than 70 turnovers (59), alongside Wales, who conceded the fewest of any side last year (55).
TEAMS
Wales: 15 Jenny Hesketh, 14 Jasmine Joyce, 13 Hannah Jones (c), 12 Kerin Lake, 11 Nel Metcalfe, 10 Lleucu George, 9 Keira Bevan, 1 Gwenllian Pyrs, 2 Kelsey Jones, 3 Sisilia Tuipulotu, 4 Natalia John, 5 Abbie Fleming, 6 Alisha Butchers, 7 Alex Callender, 8 Bethan Lewis.
Replacements: 16 Carys Phillips, 17 Abbey Constable, 18 Donna Rose, 19 Georgia Evans, 20 Kate Williams, 21 Sian Jones, 22 Niamh Terry, 23 Carys Cox
Scotland: 15. Meryl Smith, 14. Rhona Lloyd, 13. Emma Orr, 12. Lisa Thomson, 11. Coreen Grant, 10. Helen Nelson, 9. Caity Mattinson, 1. Leah Bartlett, 2. Lana Skeldon, 3. Christine Belisle, 4. Emma Wassell, 5. Sarah Bonar, 6. Rachel Malcolm (c) 7. Alex Stewart, 8. Evie Gallagher
Replacements: 16. Elis Martin, 17. Molly Wright, 18. Elliann Clarke, 19. Louise McMillan, 20. Rachel McLachlan, 21. Mairi McDonald, 22. Shona Campbell, 23. Chloe Rollie
