GLORY HUNTERS – Rugby World Cup Pool B

The fascinating four in Pool B, examined by Ffion Owen, with exclusive insight from Wales international Jenny Hesketh.

The second-best team in World Rugby, two constant contenders in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations and a side entering only their second World Cup… Pool B is a showcase of Women’s Rugby made up of Canada, Scotland, Wales and Fiji. Despite none of them winning the World Cup before, all four nations definitely have the components to go all the way.

Canada, favourites in Pool B, reached the final of the 2014 Rugby World Cup in France, but fell to hosts, Les Bleues. Scotland, ever-present from their hosting debut in 1994 through to 2010, returned to the global stage in 2021, only to bow out in the knockout rounds. Now, they face a major challenge and will be eager to make their mark.

Wales remain one of the tournament’s most consistent attendees. Their best finish came over 30 years ago with a fourth place, and they most recently reached the quarter-finals in 2021 in New Zealand.

Finally, Fiji made their first Rugby World Cup appearance in 2021, where the Fijiana XV stunned South Africa in a standout performance. They will be hoping to carry that momentum into this next campaign.

WALES – NEW LEADERSHIP

To gain further insight into the Welsh Squad, Owen caught up with Welsh international Jenny Hesketh. Having previously progressed through the England pathway, Hesketh received a call-up from the WRU back in 2024, which she qualifies for through her maternal side.

Alongside playing for Bristol Bears, Hesketh’s been involved in the 2024 Guinness Six Nations and the Celtic Challenge. Successfully balancing her final year of university alongside training for the 6Ns saw her earn a professional contract with the WRU.

The Welsh squad will be fresh off warm-up games against Australia, before starting their World Cup campaign. Under new head coach Sean Lynn, the trip saw the squad gain valuable game time and experience, alongside a chance to strengthen connects within the team. With their new specialist defence and contact coaches, Wales showed that they have what it takes for the World Cup.

A win over the Wallaroos of 12-21 really showed the willingness and ability of the Welsh Squad with it also being their first win under Sean Lynn. However, the next match saw them leave Australia heartbroken, having lost with 36-5 at full time. However, Hesketh confirmed that Wales are focusing eager on their opening game against Scotland, who are a major rival, and this is a key decider within the pool. Meanwhile, Canada and Fiji will challenge Wales to adapt their attack and defence as the campaign unfolds.

Wales have undergone one of their toughest pre-seasons to date, under three-time Premiership Winner Coach Sean Lynn. Blocks were designed to build intensity and consistency, with the players putting in nine-hour days, five times a week, combining fitness, skills, unit training and contact conditioning.

A key addition to the Welsh backroom, according to Hesketh, has been Ben Flower. Former Welsh Professional Rugby League, Flower has been taking the squad off the pitch and into the dojo. Sessions were ran focusing on grappling and decision-making with aims of making the squad more robust both defensively and physically.

The arrival of Lynn saw former Welsh Women’s Coach, Ioan Cunningham, leave the set-up that he’d been a part of across three seasons. However, they’ll soon meet again as Cunningham is now head coach of the Fijiana XV – one of Wales’s Pool B opponents.

The Welsh squad were briefly without a coach before Lynn stepped in. With the Six Nations on the horizon, the team had little time to adapt. But Lynn’s World Cup pre-season allowed him to establish his philosophy, emphasising togetherness, good work ethic and a ‘family’ culture within the team.

While the upcoming match against Fiji will carry a lot of emotion, especially towards the more experienced Welsh players, the focus of the squad remains on their progression through the pool stages. With Lynn’s thorough preparation, the Welsh believe that they are capable of sailing through the pool stage as they approach the campaign with newfound confidence.

But the changes didn’t stop there for the Welsh squad. As Lynn arrived, many things changed, including captaincy. Previous captain Hannah Dallavalle was relieved of the heavy pressure of the role, especially during the previous seasons where Wales had little success.

The change in captaincy has been seen as a positive progression, where Lynn has appointed Alex Callender and Kate Williams as co-captains. Both 25 years of age, back-rowers and players within the PWR, Callender and Williams are integral players within the squad.

Callender earned her first international cap in 2019 after impressing in the WRU Women’s Regional Championship and the English Premier 15s. She went on to represent Wales in the World Rugby Sevens Series, captaining the side during the 2021 Europe Sevens campaign.

Following the collapse of Worcester Warriors, her Premier 15s club, Callender joined the newly-formed Brython Thunder in the Celtic Challenge, where she once again took on the captaincy role. For the 2024/25 season, Callender joined Harlequins Women and continued playing for Wales in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

On the other hand, Swansea-born Williams had moved to Auckland, New Zealand at the age of four. Growing up playing rugby, she played in the first women’s Super Rugby game in New Zealand’s history in May 2021. She received a call up to train with Wales after friends and family sent videos of her playing rugby to Cunningham, who was coach at the time.

After impressing him, she was invited to Wales’s pre-season for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Despite not making the squad, she was later called up due to injuries and made her first appearance for Wales on her home soil. After that performance, she signed for Gloucester-Hartpury and has played in all Welsh campaigns since.

Lynn has valued the pair’s leadership qualities and their influence off the pitch as well as their performance on it. They bring complementary strengths, as Williams leads through her relentless work ethic and pride in representing the Welsh badge, while Callender brings a vocal and motivational presence to energise and support the squad.

Inspired by the leadership and drive of Williams and coach Lynn, as three-time champions with Gloucester-Hartpury, Hesketh is certain that Wales will head into the World Cup with growing confidence. With their strengthened defensive and attacking systems providing sound structure and dynamics, they’ve emphasised that maintaining belief throughout the full 80 minutes will be key to directing tight games in their favour.

Players will be carrying the sense of togetherness, pride of wearing the Welsh jersey and the history of the Welsh Women with them. Aware of the lack of support, Hesketh explains how it’s great to see how players now coming into the squad, from age-grade pathways and the Celtic Challenge.

Young players within the current squad, such as Maisie Davies, Alaw Pyrs and U20s Captain Branwen Metcalfe, have been able to relish these opportunities and have been called up into the World Cup Squad because of it. For the senior players, the upcoming World Cup seems like a chance to help better shape a legacy for women’s rugby in Wales.

With the squad at peak standards, there’s a shared hope and belief that the next decade could see Welsh women’s rugby reach new standards – with the first step being that Wales make their mark in the 2025 Rugby World Cup.

For the Welsh women, making their mark in the campaign will be the latest chapter in the summer of sport and making history for Wales. From the Wales women making their Euros debut in Switzerland, to Wales hosting the AIG Women’s Open for the first time.

Maintaining this momentum will leave a lasting legacy for women’s sport in Wales. With the excitement building, the campaign feels like the start of something transformative – both for the Welsh rugby team and for women’s sport as a whole.

CANADA

The 2014 RWC runners-up will be storming into this year’s campaign filled with confidence, and a knack of regularly challenging top rugby nations. Famous for their physical dominance, ball- carrying and set-piece, Canada combine fierce power in the pack with pace and agility in their backline.

Player to Watch: Sophie de Goede. Captain de Goede, who plays Number 8, leads by example as an all-round player. Accurate kicking, tactical awareness and dominating carries – de Goede is the beating heart of the Canadian attack and defence.

SCOTLAND

Following seasons of rebuilding and progression, Scotland return to the World Cup eager to make a statement. With a mix of experience and young talent, they will be known for their resilience and ability. Led by vice-captain Helen Nelson and captain Rachel Malcolm (above), they open their campaign against rivals Wales, and this match will be instrumental in their World Cup journey.

Player to Watch: Evie Gallagher. Natural-born athlete, Gallagher started off on the wing in U15s and later transitioned to the back-row where she effortlessly dominates. A key player for Bristol Bears, she is lethal in attack with her speed and power, as well as making numerous turnovers at crucial moments.

FIJI

Adding to the layer of excitement, Fiji coach Cunningham will be facing his old team, Wales, in the pool stages. As underdogs, the Fijiana will be dangerous to any side they face.

Player to Watch: Merewai Cumu. Olympian Cumu brings passion, energy and experience to the Fijiana side. As a sevens player, she’ll demonstrate her pace and dominance on the pitch.

WHERE TO WATCH

All matches are available to watch on BBC Sport

Scotland v Wales. 23rd August 2025. KO: 14:45 BST
Canada v Fiji. 23rd August 2025. KO: 17:30 BST
Canada v Wales. 30th August 2025. KO: 12:00 BST
Scotland v Fiji. 20th August 2025. KO: 14:45 BST
Canada v Scotland. 6th September 2025. KO: 12:00 BST
Wales v Fiji. 6th September 2025. KO: 14:45 BST