Ireland Women Team to Face France at Musgrave Park

Head Coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations clash against France at Musgrave Park (Kick-off 3.15pm, live on Virgin Media One and BBC iPlayer).

McWilliams has made five changes to the starting XV for the visit of France to Cork, while there are two uncapped players named on the bench.

Vicky Irwin and Dannah O’Brien are selected to start in the Ireland backline, with Christy Haney, Grace Moore and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird all named in the pack.

Clara Nielson and Kathryn Buggy come into the Match Day Squad and are in line to make their Ireland debuts off the bench.

The Ireland back three remains unchanged with Méabh Deely continuing at fullback and Aoife Doyle and Natasja Behan named on the wings. With Enya Breen ruled out of the remainder of the Championship through injury, Irwin comes into the midfield to partner Aoife Dalton.

O’Brien is promoted off the bench to make her first Six Nations start at out-half, with her Leinster team-mate Molly Scuffil-McCabe retained at scrum-half.

Up front, Linda Djougang switches to loosehead to pack down alongside Neve Jones and Haney. Captain Nichola Fryday and Sam Monaghan make up the second row pairing, with Dorothy Wall joined in the back row by Moore at openside flanker and Nic a Bháird at number eight.

Uncapped duo Nielson and Buggy are named among the replacements alongside Sadhbh McGrath, Hannah O’Connor and Brittany Hogan, while Nicole Cronin, Anna McGann – who is set for her first XVs appearance since last year’s Six Nations – and Lauren Delany provide the backline reinforcements.

15. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) (3)
14. Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster) (13)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (3)
12. Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster) (2)
11. Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (3)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (3)
9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) (5)

1. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (25)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster) (14)
3. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (6)
4. Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (30) (Captain)
5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (11)
6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) (17)
7. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby) (6)
8. Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster) (5)

Replacements:

16. Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)*
17. Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry/Cooke RFC/Ulster) (1)
18. Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)*
19. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (15)
20. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) (11)
21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (22)
22. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht) (2)
23. Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)n(18).