WALES captain Bethan Dainton is confident that the national side will benefit from Cardiff Demons facing much sterner challenges throughout the year.
Fourteen members of the 23-woman squad named by coach Tom Brindle ahead of upcoming games against Scotland (August 3) and England (August 9) play club rugby for the Demons, who are currently top of the Championship and aiming for promotion to Super League.
Previously Cardiff have played in, and dominated, Championship South where their only real competitive games came against London Broncos. But since their move to the Championship they have faced stiff competition in every game, which Dainton believes will play a part in Wales putting in a better performance against England than they did last November, when they went down 82-0 to Stuart Barrow’s side.
“We know this squad has got so much potential and we want to right some wrongs from last year’s England game, so we are all excited,” Dainton told League Express.
“We were far from our best but we see this year as an opportunity to put that right, especially as it’s at our ground and in front of our fans.
“There are a lot of girls in the squad now that are playing just below the Super League, which we’ve not really had in the last couple of years.
“Since playing in the Championship the Cardiff girls have really stepped up. They are coming away with some wins against some top clubs and they are always getting better as a team. So I am expecting to see a bit more from them, which can only benefit the squad.
“By having more girls playing regularly at a higher level, hopefully when we come together for these games we can hit the ground running.
“We’ve not spoken too much about the Scotland game yet but we know it will be tough and we can’t afford to think it won’t be. They have a lot of good players in the squad, including my best friend (and Leeds Rhinos teammate) Kaiya Glynn, but if we get our processes right and stay focussed on what we need to do, then hopefully we’ll come away with the win and then build on that going into the England game.”
Wales squad: Leanne Burnell, Lucia Davies, Jasmine Gibbons, Ffion Jenkins, Ffion Jones, Hannah Jones, Sara Jones, Charlie Mundy, Rhi Parker, Amy Price, Amberley Ruck, Meg Whittaker, Olivia Williams, Sioned Young (all Cardiff Demons), Ashlea Prescott (Featherstone Rovers), Brittony Price (Fremantle Roosters), Gracie Hobbs (Huddersfield Giants), Bethan Dainton (Leeds Rhinos, captain), Kathryn Salter (London Broncos), Georgia Taylor (Sheffield Eagles), Dani McGifford (St Helens), Carys Marsh (Wigan Warriors), Agnes Wood (York Valkyrie).