Thunder and Lightning set for derby with play-offs confirmed
· Yahoo Sports
Brython Thunder and Gwalia Lightning will go head-to-head in a Celtic Challenge derby on Sunday (14:00 GMT), with both sides already confirmed in the play-offs.
Glasgow had been in the hunt for a top four place until Friday night's defeat by Edinburgh, which means both Welsh sides are guaranteed third and fourth place.
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Wolfhounds and Clovers cannot be caught in the top two spots and will have favourable home semi-finals.
The results of the Irish and Welsh derbies will determine who will travel where on 21 March.
The final will take place at Edinburgh's Hive Stadium a week later.
- Ruthless Wolfhounds put Lightning to the sword
- Clovers secure home semi-final as both Scottish sides lose in Celtic Challenge
Team news
Thunder have once again finished the campaign strongly and will look to extend their four-match winning streak at Parc y Scarlets.
Their side shows two changes, with Savannah Picton-Powell coming in at centre and Jorja Aiono in the back row.
Wales lock Gwen Crabb captains the side.
Lightning will be hoping to rediscover the form that helped them qualify for the knockout stages, having tasted defeat in their last four outings.
They have made three starting changes and three positional switches, with Wales lock Abbie Fleming making her first start.
Wales prop Jenni Scoble shifts from loosehead to tighthead to accommodate Chloe Thomas Bradley, while Chiara Pearce moves to the back row.
The Celtic Challenge's leading try-scorer Courtney Greenway returns to the wing, with co-captain Catherine Richards at full-back.
What the coaches say
"A Welsh derby always brings the best out of players, coaches and staff," said Thunder head coach Ashley Beck.
"We have built real momentum and confidence in this second block and we are playing at home at Parc y Scarlets.
"Gwalia Lightning have been in the top half of the table all season and we know they will present us with a challenge we are excited by."
Lightning head coach Catrina Nicholas-McLaughlin said: "We set ourselves a target of a semi-final place at the start of the Celtic Challenge and we have achieved that.
"A Welsh derby brings out the best in us, and we need to focus on our performance against a Brython Thunder side full of confidence.
"We know we are a good team, and we need to build momentum as we prepare for a semi-final play-off game."
How they line up
Brython Thunder: Neumann, Evans, Picton-Powell, Keight, Singleton; Marshall, Lockwood; Orrin, S Williams, Jones, Crabb (capt), John, Metcalfe, Isaac, Aiono.
Replacements: Bowden, L Williams, Lewis, Davies, Wakley, Rogers, Bluck, Tromans.
Gwalia Lightning: Richards (co-capt), Greenway, Webster, Anderson-Thomas, Lewis; Hughes, Jones; Thomas-Bradley, Reardon (co-capt), Scoble, Pyrs, Fleming, Pearce, Owen, Hopkins.
Replacements: Korsak, James, Cuming, Stewart, King, Hawkins, McMullen, Prothero.
Referee: Jess Kavanagh