LOUISE Rickard will become Wales' most capped rugby player on Sunday when she wins her 93rd cap as Wales Women continue their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome (kick-off 12.

LOUISE Rickard will become Wales' most capped rugby player on Sunday when she wins her 93rd cap as Wales Women continue their Six Nations campaign against Italy in Rome (kick-off 12.30pm at Rugby Roma).

The 36-year-old Woodbridge School teacher will surpass Gareth Llewellyn's 92 caps on the same weekend that Gareth Thomas hopes to take his Welsh Test tally up to 91 with an appearance off the bench at Stadio Flaminio on Saturday.

But the fact is that it will be a woman who holds the Welsh cap record for the first time as from this weekend.

“I didn't know until a few weeks ago I was possibly going to overtake Gareth Llewellyn's mark as the most capped Welsh rugby international. It's not the sort of thing you think about, although it will be a huge honour for me on Sunday,” said Rickard.

“I still think I've got a couple more seasons left in me and it would be great now to go on and reach 100 caps.

“This is a great time to be involved in the Welsh Women's team because the set-up is so progressive and professional and the system is creating some great talent.

“We had our best-ever season in the Six Nations last year, when we were runners-up to England, and we also won the European Sevens title.

“Although we lost to France in our last game, we are still on course for a Triple Crown showdown with England at Taffs Well next week.

“It will be the 20th anniversary of the first meeting between Wales and England and we have yet to beat them at senior level. That is the big game for us and we are prepared to come crawling off the pitch if that is what it takes to win.

“But before then we have to concentrate on the Italians. We beat them fairly comfortably in the pre-season, but they are improving with every game and are bound to give us a hard fight on home soil.

“I'm sure we will put things back on the road against them after the disappointment of the French defeat and that is what really matters this weekend.”