WXV2 play-off: Wales v Spain
Venue: Cardiff Arms Park Date: Saturday, 29 June Kick off: 17:35 BST
Coverage: Live on S4C, BBC Radio Wales and Radio Cymru, the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary and report on the website and app.
Wales head coach Ioan Cunningham says his side are “excited for one big push at the end of a long season”.
With most professional players already relaxing into their summer break, Wales have spent the week preparing for their WXV play-off.
They take on Spain, who are on an impressive seven-game winning streak after clinching the Rugby Europe Women’s Championship.
Saturday’s winner will qualify for the second tier of the global tournament (WXV2) while the loser will drop into the third (WXV3).
Victory also guarantees qualification for next year’s Rugby World Cup in England.
“It’s a great opportunity in a massive game,” said Cunningham.
“Spain are a quality team, we’ve watched them a few games.
“They move the ball well, they don’t go away, they keep coming at you, so it’s important that we’re in the right place mentally and emotionally.”
Prior to their narrow win over Italy in the final game of the Six Nations, Wales were on a seven-game losing streak.
That included a whitewash in WXV1, where they took on the likes of hosts New Zealand, Canada and Australia.
“It was superb to be there and have that opportunity, but the road into professionalism is never a straight line,” said Cunningham.
“We got catapulted into that level of rugby and made us reflect hard on it.”
Cunningham said WXV2 – where Wales will play the likes of Scotland, Italy, South Africa and Japan – would give his side a chance to be more competitive and build momentum.
“That’s where we need to be, the stepping stone to the next level,” he said.
WXV2 will be played in South Africa in September, while WXV3 takes place against much lower ranked opposition in Dubai.
Cunningham said playing in the lowest tier would not be a disaster for Wales but stressed “it’s not what we want”.
“If we did go to WXV3, it’s another opportunity to go there and grow our game, but WXV2 is where we’d like to be,” he said.
Cunningham added his side are focusing more on the process than the pressure this weekend.
“It’s not so much about scoring four tries to get a bonus point, it is about winning the game,” he said.
“We will do our very best to find a way to win and put our game plan on the field.”
