1 week ago
5
ARTICLE AD BOX
Celtic Challenge round three
Clovers v Gwalia Lightning
Venue: Kingspan Stadium, Belfast Date: Saturday, 4 January Kick-off: 11:30 GMT
Edinburgh Rugby v Brython Thunder
Venue: Hive Stadium, Edinburgh Date: Saturday, 4 January Kick-off: 14:00 GMT
Coverage: Watch both games live on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website
Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder have named their sides for round three of the Celtic Challenge.
Lightning currently top the table after two festive derby wins over their Welsh rivals and head to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday to take on Clovers (11:30 GMT).
They have made five changes to their starting XV, with Wales duo Sian Jones and Bryonie King notable absentees.
Katie Bevans starts at scrum-half with Jones missing the trip for family reasons, while Katherine Baverstock makes her first start of the competition after King picked up an ankle injury.
Wales prop Jenni Scoble comes in at tighthead prop while fellow international Carys Williams-Morris is named at centre.
Lowri Davies takes up her place on the wing after Catherine Richards was called-up to the Great Britain Sevens training camp.
Lottie Buffery-Latham and Nia Grundy are set to make their debuts from the replacements bench.
Thunder will be looking for their first win of the campaign when they take on Edinburgh at Hive Stadium in Saturday's later kick-off (14:00 GMT).
They have made two personnel and two positional switches for the trip.
Wales centre Hannah Bluck, who impressed off the bench last weekend, earns a start in the midfield with fellow international Meg Webb dropping to the bench.
Poppy Hughes gets the nod at hooker in a new-look front row.
Katie Carr and Lowri Williams swap positions, with Carr switching to tighthead and Williams to loosehead.
Gwalia Lightning head coach Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin said: "We know what a tough proposition Clovers will be at home after their impressive win against Wolfhounds but as a squad we are growing into the league.
"After two physical and intense Welsh derbies with Brython Thunder, we have shown we know how to adapt and perform and have found a way to win and will travel to Belfast with a quiet confidence."
Brython Thunder head coach Ashley Beck said: "For a new-look Brython side with some new faces we have produced improved performances in each Welsh derby against Gwalia. We know an away trip to Edinburgh will be a test.
"We need to focus on improving our performances and the rest will look after itself.
"Edinburgh are second in the table and will be full of confidence after their victory over Glasgow."
Gwalia Lightning: Courtney Greenway; Caitlin Lewis, Carys Williams-Morris, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Lowri Davies, Carys Hughes, Katie Bevans; Maisie Davies, Molly Reardon, Jenni Scoble, Lily Terry, Alaw Pyrs, Katherine Baverstock, Paige Jones, Gwennan Hopkins (capt)
Replacements: Mollie Wakely, Dali Hopkins, Danyelle Dinapoli, Erin Jones, Lottie Buffery-Latham, Seren Lockwood, Nia Fajeyisan, Nia Grundy
Brython Thunder: Hannah Lane; Ellie Tromans, Hannah Bluck, Savannah Picton-Powell, Eleanor Hing, Niamh Terry, Seren Singleton; Lowri Williams, Poppy Hughes, Katie Carr, Gwen Crabb, Natalia John (capt), Robyn Davies, Lucy Isaac, Jessica Rogers
Replacements: Chloe Gant, Chloe Thomas-Bradley, Meg Lewis, Danai Mugabe, Kira Philpott, Bethan Adkins, Hanna Marshall, Meg Webb
English (US) ·