Wing Louise Rickard will win her 96th cap on the occasion and, along with fullback Non Evans (63) and fellow wing Hayley Baxter (14), the back three boasts 173 international caps between them. Add to that a centre partnership with a tally of 65 caps and you’ve got a pretty experienced back line.
Lewis said, “We’ve gone for experience across the board for this opening fixture as England away from home is a major challenge for us. England are the dominant force in northern hemisphere Women’s rugby and current Six Nations champions so we have a mountain to climb.
“Having said that, our team has played a lot of rugby together now; along with our backline, we have a settled back row and half back partnership so we should be able to deal with England up front and, if we get some decent ball, our backs should have the wherewithal to challenge them behind the scrum too.
“We are really looking forward to this Six Nations. We have three home matches and we can’t wait to get started, beginning with this trip to Sunbury.
“It’s a big season for us, with the European Championships coming up in May in the Netherlands so we will also be looking to blood some new players over the coming months.”
Wales Women v England: Non Evans (Clifton); Louise Rickard (Woodbridge), Rachel Poolman (UWIC), Clare Flowers (Clifton), Hayley Baxter (Cardiff Quins); Naomi Thomas (Clifton), Amy Day (UWIC); Louise Horgan (Saracens), Rhian Bowden (Clifton), Jenny Davies (Waterloo), Gemma Hallett (Pontyclun), Claire Donovan (Saracens), Catrina Nicholas (Bath Ladies), Nicola Evans (Wasps), Mel Berry (capt, Clifton)
Replacements: Claire Horgan (Lichfield), Ruth Evans (Waterloo), Rachel Taylor (Cardiff Quins), Jenny Doyle (Bath Ladies), Laura Prosser (Pontyclun), Awen Thomas (Cardiff Quins), Michaela Reed (Birchgrove)
Watch Wales Women in Six Nations action:
England v Wales: Saturday, February 2 – 2.30pm – London Irish Amateur, Sunbury, Middlesex
Wales v Scotland: Sunday, February 9 – 1.00pm – Taffs Well RFC
Wales v Italy: Sunday, February 23 – 1.00pm – Taffs Well RFC
Ireland v Wales: Friday, March 7 – 7.30pm – St Marys, Dublin
Wales v France: Saturday, March 15 – 1.00pm – Taffs Well RFC
