Bemand Names Ireland Team To Face France In Women’s Six Nations Opener

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named the Ireland Match Day Squad, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener against France at Kingspan Stadium (Kick-off 1pm).

Ireland get their 2025 Championship campaign underway on home soil in Belfast this weekend as France visit for an exciting Round 1 encounter.

Bemand has named Amee-Leigh Costigan as captain and Neve Jones as vice captain as the on-pitch leaders, with squad captain Edel McMahon set to come on as a finisher.

It’ll be the first time Costigan captains Ireland in a Test match having previously led Ireland Sevens on the HSBC SVNS Series.

Stacey Flood, Anna McGann and Costigan are named in the Ireland back three, with Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton making up the midfield pairing, while Emily Lane starts at scrum-half to partner Dannah O’Brien in the half backs.

In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang start in the front row, with Ruth Campbell, who makes her Championship debut in green, and Dorothy Wall in the engine room.

Brittany Hogan is at blindside flanker, Erin King – the World Rugby Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year – makes her Six Nations debut at openside and Aoife Wafer completes Ireland’s starting XV.

Bemand has strong options among the replacements with Cliodhna Moloney, Siobhan McCarthy, Christy Haney, Grace Moore, Fiona Tuite and squad captain McMahon providing the forward reinforcements, while Aoibheann Reilly and Enya Breen are the backline replacements.

Speaking ahead of the match, Bemand said: “We are really excited to get our 2025 season underway in front of our home crowd in Belfast this Saturday, and no better challenge to start with than the visit of a very talented France side. We have had a strong block of preparation leading into the Championship and the intensity of training and competition for places within the Match Day Squad has driven standards in camp.

Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and BBC Northern Ireland, while there is live radio commentary available on RTE Radio 1.

Ireland (v France):

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(14)
14. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(6)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(18)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(21)
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(13)(captain)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(19)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(10)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(11)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(30)(vice-captain)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(41)
4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(2)
5. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(32)
6. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(27)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)(4)
8. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(11)

Replacements:

16. Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(38)
17. Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster)(4)
18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(19)
19. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(17)
20. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(10)
21. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(30)
22. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(12)
23. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(25).