Rowland Phillips has spoken of the pride he feels after his Wales Women beat hosts Ireland in Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium to finish seventh at the World Cup. Tries from Caryl Thomas, Sioned Harries, Carys Phillips and Shona Powell-Hughes – plus seven points from the boot of Robyn Wilkins – gave Wales a well-earned win at the home of Ulster Rugby.

Rowland Phillips has spoken of the pride he feels after his Wales Women beat hosts Ireland in Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium to finish seventh at the World Cup. Tries from Caryl Thomas, Sioned Harries, Carys Phillips and Shona Powell-Hughes – plus seven points from the boot of Robyn Wilkins – gave Wales a well-earned win at the home of Ulster Rugby.

Wales have announced their team to face Canada at Queen’s University Belfast on Tuesday at 17:00, with both sides aiming for a fifth-place finish in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. In the second meeting between the two in this year’s tournament (with Canada the victors in a high-intensity encounter in the pool stage), head coach Rowland Phillips has kept faith in the same starting team that took on the 2014 finalists just over a week ago. This means a return to the starting line-up for nine players following Thursday’s bonus-point win against Hong Kong in Dublin, including experienced North Walian duo Dyddgu Hywel and Elen Evans.

With Wales Women currently competing at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, the club game in Wales is also set for a boost this season. Four new club teams – Cilfynydd, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd, Tumble and Whitchurch will join Division Three after completing a set of on and off-field criteria and fulfilling a season of friendlies, while the Arrows, Jesters, Llanelli Wanderers and Mountain Ash will join the Youth Leagues this season, thanks in no small part to the success of the new girls’ cluster centres. North Wales too has seen a huge upturn in interest with three new clubs – Shotton, Holyhead and Pwllheli joining Cobra (Caereinion Old Boys Rugby Association), Welshpool and Llangollen in a new development division set-up to provide playing opportunities for women in mid and north Wales with teams agreeing to lend players or amend team numbers or match format to ensure games go ahead and rugby thrives in the region.

With Wales Women currently competing at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in Ireland, the club game in Wales is also set for a boost this season. Four new club teams – Cilfynydd, Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd, Tumble and Whitchurch will join Division Three after completing a set of on and off-field criteria and fulfilling a season of friendlies, while the Arrows, Jesters, Llanelli Wanderers and Mountain Ash will join the Youth Leagues this season, thanks in no small part to the success of the new girls’ cluster centres. North Wales too has seen a huge upturn in interest with three new clubs – Shotton, Holyhead and Pwllheli joining Cobra (Caereinion Old Boys Rugby Association), Welshpool and Llangollen in a new development division set-up to provide playing opportunities for women in mid and north Wales with teams agreeing to lend players or amend team numbers or match format to ensure games go ahead and rugby thrives in the region.

Wales have been written off as World Cup no-hopers by the bookies ahead of their tournament opener against New Zealand on Tuesday. Bookmakers Betway have Wales as rank outsiders at 200-1 to win the tournament, with New Zealand at 13-8 and current world champions England at 4-3 on favourite. After a strong showing from their cricket and football counterparts in recent weeks, the Red Roses will be looking to clinch their third World Cup, having previously taken the title in 1994 and 2014.

Wales have been written off as World Cup no-hopers by the bookies ahead of their tournament opener against New Zealand on Tuesday. Bookmakers Betway have Wales as rank outsiders at 200-1 to win the tournament, with New Zealand at 13-8 and current world champions England at 4-3 on favourite. After a strong showing from their cricket and football counterparts in recent weeks, the Red Roses will be looking to clinch their third World Cup, having previously taken the title in 1994 and 2014.

Wales Women head coach Rowland Phillips believes his squad has all the ingredients to mount a serious assault on the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Former Wales back-rower Phillips cut his 50-woman training squad down to the 28 ahead of the daunting opener against the Black Ferns of New Zealand in Dublin on August 9. Carys Phillips continues as captain as Wales attempt to beat their best finish of fourth at a Women’s Rugby World Cup.

Despite scoring three tries – including two for Amy Evans – Wales Women lost 39-19 in Brive on Saturday to end their Six Nations campaign in fifth place. Jessy Tremouliere contributed 19 points as France Women finished their own tournament on a high in Brive with a bonus-point win.

Wales Women have made four changes for their final Women’s Six Nations match this Saturday in France (20:00 GMT). Head coach Rowland Phillips brings scrum-half Sian Moore, wing Jasmine Joyce, centre Gemma Rowland and fullback Elinor Snowsill into his starting line-up for the visit to the Stade Amédée Domenech in Brive. After a much-improved performance in a narrow defeat to Ireland last weekend, Wales are aiming to go one better against France, who lie in third place in the competition table.

Wales Women No.8 Shona Powell-Hughes believes her team honoured the memory of Elli Norkett with a hard-fought defeat to Grand Slam-chasing Ireland. Powell-Hughes scored Wales’ only try as they were edged out 12-7 at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, leaving Ireland just one game away from a clean sweep.

Wales Women head coach Rowland Phillips has made seven changes to his team for this Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations match against Ireland at the BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park (11:30). Loosehead Caryl Thomas, number eight Shona Powell-Hughes, scrum-half Keira Bevan, fly-half Robyn Wilkins and wing Adi Taviner all come into the starting line-up. Two of the changes are positional, as Sioned Harries moves to the blindside, and Elen Evans goes from left wing to the right.