Ireland Head Coach Greg McWilliams has made four changes to his starting fifteen to play Italy in the Women’s Six Nations on Sunday.
Enniskillen’s Kathryn Dane, Beibhinn Parsons, Christy Haney and Hannah O’Connor will all start while 19-year-old back row Aoife Wafer is in line for her Ireland debut off the bench.
Dane comes in at scrum-half to partner Nicole Cronin in the half-backs, replacing Aoibheann Reilly, who drops to the bench after last weekend’s 40-5 defeat by France.
With Parsons named to start on the left wing, Lucy Mulhall switches to full-back and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe continues on the right wing. Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood are retained in midfield.
Having made her debut off the bench last week, Haney is rewarded for an impactful performance with a first start in the front row alongside Linda Djougang and Neve Jones. Captain Nichola Fryday and Sam Monaghan continue their second row partnership, with O’Connor drafted in at number eight.Dorothy Wall is named to start at blindside and Edel McMahon at openside.
The Round 3 showdown will be the first ever Women’s Test match staged at the Cork venue, Musgrave Park.
Player/Club/Province/Caps –
15. Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC/Leinster) 3
14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster) 8
13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 8
12. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 9
11. Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) 17
10. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) 18
9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) 20
1. Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster) 19
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster) 8
3. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 1
4. Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt) 24
5. Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby) 7
6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) 12
7. Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby) 16
8. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 9
Replacements:
16. Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 10
17. Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) 3
18. Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 7
19. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) 9
20. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)*
21. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) 2
22. Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) 11
23. Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster) 7
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