RACHEL Taylor will earn her 50th cap when she leads Wales Women out against Ireland at St Helen's on Sunday in a side showing three changes to the starting XV which lost to France.

Gemma Rowlands returns to centre in place of Robyn Wilkins which means the backline will be exactly the same which appeared against England.

In the pack experienced campaigner Jenny Davies comes in at loosehead prop for Caryl Thomas while Jenny Hawkins gets the nod ahead of Rebecca Rowe in the second row.

Wales may have seen their Grand Slam hopes end in Sapiac with a 28-7 defeat to France, but if Wales can beat Ireland, they will pick up a highly prized Triple Crown for the first time since 2009.

Head coach Rhys Edwards is confident his side can bounce back in the best possible manner so long as discipline is maintained as two yellow cards cost his side dearly against France.

He said: "I was really pleased how we performed in the first half. We finished strongly and had an opportunity to go in at 8-3 which would have been a true reflection of the half but things turned very quickly with the yellow card right on half-time and then three or four minutes after the break we lost another player which made it difficult for ourselves.

"Saying that, France are the Six Nations champions and I thought at times, especially when it was 15 against 15, we were very competitive.

"Ireland won't be much different to France - they have a big pack and they will try to take the game to us up front. We know it is going to be a physical battle again but we have the players capable of stopping that," he added.

Wales Women v Ireland Women (St Helen's, Swansea, Sunday 15 March, midday KO): 15 Dyddgu Hywel (Pontyclun/Scarlets), 14 Laurie Harries (Llandaff North/Blues), 13 Adi Taviner (Skewen/Ospreys), 12 Gemma Rowland (Wasps/Dragons), 11 Elen Evans (Waterloo/Scarlets), 10 Elinor Snowsill (Dragons), 9 Amy Day (Llandaff North/Dragons); 1 Jenny Davies (Caernarfon/Blues), 2 Carys Phillips (Bath Ladies/Scarlets), 3 Catrin Edwards (Llandaff North/Scarlets), 4 Jenny Hawkins (Llandaff North/Blues), 5 Rachel Taylor (Bristol Ladies/Dragons - Capt), 6 Sian Williams (Worcester/Dragons), 7 Sioned Harries (Whitland/Scarlets), 8 Shona Powell Hughes (Skewen/Ospreys). Replacements: 16 Amy Lawrence (Skewen/Ospreys), 17 Caryl Thomas (Bath Ladies/Scarlets), 18 Amy Evans (Skewen/Ospreys), 19 Rebecca Rowe (London Welsh/Dragons), 20 Melissa Clay (Pencoed/Ospreys), 21 Keira Bevan (Skewen/Ospreys), 22 Kerin Lake (Skewen/Ospreys), 23 Hannah Jones (Penybanc/Scarlets)