Contract talks had no impact on Wales selection - Cunningham

Women's world friendly: Scotland v Wales

Venue: The Hive, Edinburgh Date: Friday, 6 September Kick-off: 19:35 BST

Coverage: Watch unrecorded connected BBC Alba, BBC Sport website and app, updates connected BBC Radio Wales

Head coach Ioan Cunningham says ongoing statement talks person had nary base connected his action for Wales' friends against Scotland.

Captain Hannah Jones, Carys Phillips, Alex Callender, Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans and Lisa Neumann are among a number of regular starters not included successful nan matchday squad for Friday's travel to Edinburgh.

BBC Sport Wales understands subordinate statement discussions pinch nan Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) person been ongoing for respective months, pinch salary precocious connected nan agenda.

But Cunningham said nan reasoning down his determination to see under-20s players is to expose them to Test rugby, pinch nan World Cup being little than a twelvemonth away.

This clip past twelvemonth Wales had 32 full-time master players, but talks surrounding caller deals person been start-stop amid nan Six Nations and nan WXV2 play-off.

Asked if nan business had impacted Friday's squad selection, Cunningham said: "Not astatine all.

"As a coaching group, we've looked astatine this arsenic an opportunity to humor immoderate young players, to expose them to this level, that has ever been our plan.

“They [the contracts] are being resolved. It’s portion of pro sport.

“Discussions and negotiations are going on, but thing has changed from our constituent of position pinch regards to our preparations and mindset.”

Friday’s captain, Keira Bevan, said: “As acold arsenic I’m alert nan process is complete now and we’re into Test week.

“Everything is sorted and we’re happy pinch wherever we are pinch our contracts.”

Wales play Scotland up of travelling to London adjacent week to train against world champions New Zealand, which Cunningham said “will beryllium awesome for us”.

Australia will beryllium nan last warm-up connected 20 September earlier Wales caput to South Africa to play successful WXV2.

Cunningham hinted that capacity was a imaginable logic for subordinate omissions.

Wales endured a torrid Six Nations earlier salvaging a triumph against Italy to group up a WXV2 play-off against Spain that Wales besides won.

“We’ve fixed honorable feedback to our players pinch regards to a mates of areas, wherever we consciousness they are," he said.

"With regards to their level of information astatine nan moment, we want to springiness players immoderate much clip to activity connected that.

"Also, we want to springiness players clip to reflect, measurement distant and attraction connected themselves a spot more, areas of their game.”

Experienced scrum-half Bevan has been chosen to lead nan broadside for nan first clip successful Jones’ absence.

“Hannah has been unbelievable complete nan Six Nations campaign, taking a batch on, some connected nan section and disconnected nan field,” added Cunningham.

“It’s an opportunity for her to find her feet again, bask nan rugby, do what she’s bully at.

“She cares profoundly astir this team, cares profoundly astir her capacity and really she holds herself. Her professionalism is exceptional, she’s a immense portion of this squad whether she’s connected nan section aliases successful a different role.

“The personification comes first and we’re going to build backmost up fresh for WXV and it’s conscionable taking those smaller steps towards that.”