WORCESTER Valkyries bid to impress in the Women’s Premiership Sevens at Coventry’s Broadstreet club on Sunday. 

Seven of the side are internationals in rugby union, while five have played sevens for their country. 

England internationals Ceri Large, Megan Goddard, Bianca Blackburn and Lydia Thompson are included alongside Welsh star Sian Williams and Scotland’s Lyndsay O’Donnell. 

Williams, Thompson and O’Donnell have international sevens experience too and Alexia Mavroudis, who has played both formats for Holland, is also in the 12-woman squad.

Drawn into a pool with Richmond, Aylesford Bulls and Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, Valkyries will target a top-two finish for a semi-final with Saracens, Lichfield, Wasps or Bristol.

They aim to become one of the first women’s teams in the Singha Sevens Premiership Rugby Series final at the Ricoh Arena at 5.20pm the same day.

Valkyries kick off at 11.30am against Sharks before taking on Aylesford at 12.10pm and Richmond at 12.50pm.

Sevens head coach Kat Merchant said: “The game is moving so far forward and tournaments like this, where the women get to take centre stage, can feel surreal. So the experience will be on another level if we make the Ricoh Arena and definitely be a highlight for us.

“I’m excited to see Ceri and Bianca playing together. Bianca is really quick and Ceri can score tries from anywhere, while Lydia on the wing is an absolute flier, so they’re definitely players to watch out for.” 

Valkyries: Large, Goddard, Blackburn, Symonds, Williams, Thompson, O’Donnell, Parker, Bree, Bennion, Mavroudis, Davey.