Head Coach Tom Tierney has confirmed the Ireland Women’s side, sponsored by Aon, to play Wales this Saturday at the Cardiff Arms Park at 11.30am in the fourth round of the Women’s Six Nations Championship.
The starting team shows three personnel and one positional change to the side that defeated France 13-10 in Donnybrook in Round 3.
Wingers Alison Miller and Hannah Tyrrell return to the side, having been involved with the Ireland Women’s 7s in Las Vegas for the France game.
Centre Claire McLaughlin misses out, having sustained an ankle injury in training this weekend and her place at centre will be filled by Sene Naoupu, who was also involved at the USA 7s.
The final change to the squad sees Kim Flood move to full-back, having played on the wing in the France game.
The forwards are unchanged, with Lindsay Peat, Leah Lyons and Ailis Egan forming the front-row partnership for the fourth game in succession.
The second-row will see Old Belvedere duo Marie-Louise Reilly and Sophie Spence pack down together, and in the back-row, Number 8 and captain Paula Fitzpatrick is again joined by flankers Ciara Griffin and Claire Molloy.
Speaking ahead of the side departing for Cardiff, Tierney said: “The squad has been developing nicely over the course of the Championship, and while it was great to get the win against France in the last game, we haven’t dwelled on that and have firmly turned our attention to the challenge the Welsh will give us.
“We are expecting Wales to be very much up for this game and there is set to be a big crowd in the Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday.
“With that in mind, it will be important that the players stay fully focused on their jobs and that we go out on Saturday ready to perform.
“We’d also encourage any Ireland fans that are in town for the men’s game on Friday evening and are still in Cardiff on Saturday to come to the game and give the team their support.”
Ireland Women v Wales, Saturday 11th March, 11.30am, BT Sport Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff (Live on RTE from 11.15am)
1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union / Leinster)
2. Leah Lyons (Highfield / Munster)
3. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
4. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
5. Marie-Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
6. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians / Munster)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol / Connacht)
8. Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s College / Leinster) Captain
9. Mary Healy (Galwegians / Connacht)
10. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
11. Alison Miller (Old Belvedere / Connacht)
12. Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls)
13. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
14. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
15. Kim Flood (Railway Union / Leinster)
16. Ciara O Connor (Galwegians / Connacht)
17. Ilse Van Staden (Cooke / Ulster)
18. Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians / Connacht)
19. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union / Leinster)
20. Nichola Fryday (Tullamore / Connacht)
21. Larissa Muldoon (Railway Union)
22. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union / Ulster)
23. Mairead Coyne (Galwegians / Connacht)
IRELAND Women’s Six Nations Fixtures & Results
Friday 3rd February 2017
Scotland Women 15-22 Ireland Women, Broadwood Stadium, Glasgow
Sunday 12th February 2017
Italy Women 3-27 Ireland Women, Stadio Tommaso Fattori, L’Aquila
Sunday 26th February 2017
Ireland Women 13-10 France Women, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Saturday 11th March 2017
Wales Women v Ireland Women, 11.30am, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff
Friday 17th March 2017
Ireland Women v England Women, 8pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Tickets for Ireland Women’s home games in Donnybrook are available from http://www.ticketmaster.ie/
Report courtesy of IRFU via Women’s 6 Nations
