GEMMA Grainger has tapped into the knowledge of her coaching staff when naming her first Wales squad for clashes with Canada and Denmark.
Grainger was appointed as successor to Jayne Ludlow earlier this month and will take the reins for the clashes with the Canadians on Friday, April 9 (kick-off 6pm) at Leckwith Stadium and Danes on Tuesday, April 13 (kick-off 7.15pm) at Cardiff City Stadium.
The fixtures are the build-up to the 2023 Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign with Wales learning their group rivals in a draw on Friday, April 30.
The fixtures against Canada, ranked eighth in the world, and Denmark, 14th, will present a stern test for a Wales side that sit 31st and the new boss has named a 26-strong squad.
Reading defender Bethan Roberts earns her first senior call-up while Liverpool striker Ceri Holland receives her first full call-up after joining the squad halfway through last month’s training camp. Holland joins the squad on the back of winning the Championship player of the month award for her club in the English FA’s Women’s Championship.
“With the squad needing submitting only two days into the job, it was really important for me to utilise the existing staff from the February camp to select the squad,” said Grainger.
“We want to play the higher ranked nations and there’s no better test as we look to prepare for the World Cup qualifying campaign and the next four years.”
Cymru: Laura O’sullivan (Cardiff City Ladies), Olivia Clark (Coventry United), Poppy Soper (Plymouth Argyle), Rhiannon Roberts (Liverpool), Gemma Evans (Bristol City), Maria Francis-Jones (Cardiff City Ladies), Charlie Estcourt (London Bees), Hayley Ladd (Manchester United), Josie Green (Tottenham Hotspur), Elise Hughes (Blackburn Rovers, on loan from Everton), Anna Filbey (Celtic, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur), Sophie Ingle (Chelsea), Angharad James (Reading), Jess Fishlock (Reading, on loan from Ol Reign), Carrie Jones (Manchester United), Kayleigh Green (Brighton & Hove Albion), Natasha Harding (Reading), Rachel Rowe (Reading), Helen Ward (Watford), Lily Woodham (Reading), Georgia Walters (Blackburn Rovers), Ffion Morgan (Crystal Palace), Esther Morgan (Tottenham Hotspur), Ceri Holland (Liverpool), Bethan Roberts (Reading), Kylie Nolan (Cardiff City Ladies).
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