THE Wales women's national rugby team completed a gruelling team challenge on Saturday as part of their punishing, pre-season training programme.

The exercise is part of a month-long plan to increase team cohesion along with reaching personal goals, along with rugby skills and conditioning.

The squad are using alternative training techniques and off-site venues such as the Green Mile Training camp in Taff’s Well to build resilience ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup this Autumn.

Head coach Ioan Cunningham is delighted with the opportunity for the squad to attend an endurance camp.

He said: “We had a great opportunity to attend a camp called the green mile which is sort of an endurance camp where you are forced to work as a team to carry logs, get into cold water and climb up steep hills to challenge the squad in different ways.

South Wales Argus:

Wales Women’s rugby squad training session at The Green Mile, Cardiff. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency

“It was a great way to work hard but also get through something they perhaps wouldn’t have achieved if they hadn’t stuck together.

“We want to test the team - something might be thrown at us during the world cup where we must adapt and move on.

“That’s what we’re trying to do this month – give the players different situations where we have to pull together to overcome obstacles.”

During the challenge at the Green Mile Training camp in Taff’s Well the team faced all obstacles and terrain that it could throw at them.

The challenges included carrying 50kg logs, river immersion and overcoming physical challenge along the way.

South Wales Argus:

Wales Women’s rugby squad training session at The Green Mile, Cardiff. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency

Last Friday, the squad trained at MOD St Athan and the players have started regular wrestling sessions to improve their close contact strength.

Captain Siwan Lillicrap enjoyed the challenges they faced to help them prepare for the preseason and world cup.

She said: “It was an enjoyable morning, mentally and physically challenging but great to get out and mix things up to end our second week of pre-season.

“We all stuck together, and everyone’s strengths came to the fore at some point. A great team effort”

Wales women face Canada and England in August where Cunningham will focus on rugby during the next training sessions.

South Wales Argus:

Wales Women’s rugby squad training session at The Green Mile, Cardiff. Picture: Huw Evans Picture Agency

He added: “We have two great weeks in the bag and two big weeks left to finish July strong. That will set us up nicely for the month of August where we will focus more on rugby.

“With the games against Canada and England coming up it’s exciting to see what more we can achieve over the next two weeks.”