Italy v Ireland; Scotland v Wales
The clash of the two I’s in Dublin is hard to predict. Both sides have match-winners; both have shown flashes of outstanding form. Italy are full of confidence as they reach No 5 in world rankings, three places above the hosts. They may pay the penalty of surrendering home advantage, but in the absence of a full-throated crowd that pick-me-up is of less value this campaign.
Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi’s return for Italy means rejigging the back line; skipper Furlan moves to No 14. With Melissa Bettoni restored as hooker, the pack takes on a familiar form; only Giada Franco remains a regretted absence.
Ireland: Adam Griggs was as impressed by Stacey Flood last week as I was; she takes Hannah Tyrrell’s place at out-half. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe is rewarded with a start after her debut last time. The only change up front sees Ulster’s Brittany Hogan installed at open-side.
Wales have suffered a final blow to a trouble-ridden season, losing their captain Siwan Lillicrap to injury. Georgia Evans shifts to No 8 and Hannah Jones is honoured with the captaincy.
In a strange way this may help the Welsh cause. Without their mainstay of the past two rounds the team may now share out the burdens of the day and play at their best for the absent skipper. Jasmine Joyce returns from GB 7s to play 15, not 14. When she found herself there for the Barbarians against the USA, she ran in four spectacular tries.
Earlier in the campaign Scotland suffered the loss of their captain Rachel Malcolm too, but have experienced playing without her. The two scrum-halves rotate and Christine Belisle, who is showing such good form, is switched to loose head. Bryan Easson is glad to see Hannah Smith back from GB 7s to add bite to the midfield.
The need to win this game is every bit as vital to the participants as the crunch earlier in the day. It will prevent a whitewash.
Timings on 24 Saturday April:
Ireland v Italy 12 noon
Scotland v Wales 5 pm
BST times
Teams:
Italy 15 Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 4 caps), 14 Manuela Furlan (captain, Arredissima Villorba, 76 caps), 13 Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 58 caps), 12 Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 44 caps), 11 Maria Magatti (CUS Milano, 34 caps), 10 Veronica Madia (HBS Colorno, 20 caps), 9 Sara Barattin (Arredissima Villorba, 96 caps), 8 Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 44 caps), 7 Giada Franco (HBS Colorno, 18 caps), 6 Ilaria Arrighetti (Stade Rennais, 46 caps), 5 Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 19 caps), 4 Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain, 23 caps), 3 Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 71 caps), 2 Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais, 59 caps), 1 Erika Skofca (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 3 caps)
Bench 16 Lucia Cammarano (Rugby Belve Neroverdi, 25 caps) 17 Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 1 cap), 18 Michela Merlo (Rugby Mantova, 8 caps), 19 Sara Tounesi (Romagnat, 17 caps), 20 Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Monza 1949, 24 caps), 21 Beatrice Veronese (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 5 caps), 22 Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova, 57 caps), 23 Aura Muzzo (Arredissima Villorba, 16 caps)
Ireland 15. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian, 17 caps), 14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union, 1), 13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union, 2), 12. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere, 40), 11. Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College, 10), 10. Stacey Flood (Railway, Union, 2), 9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere, 12), 1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union, 33), 2. Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps, 25), 3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere, 11), 4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union, 15), 5. Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College, 17), 6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College, 6), 7. Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere, 3), 8. Ciara Griffin (captain, UL Bohemian, 35)
Bench: 16. Neve Jones (Malone, 2), 17. Laura Feely (Blackrock College, 18), 18. Leah Lyons (Harlequins, 25), 19. Grace Moore (Railway Union, uncapped, 20. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College, 4), 21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College, 2) 22. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere, 19), 23. Enya Breen (UL Bohemian, 5)
Scotland 15 Chloe Rollie (Harlequins), 14 Liz Musgrove (Unattached), 13 Hannah Smith (Watsonians), 12 Lisa Thomson (unattached), 11 Megan Gaffney (Heriots), 10 Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), 9 Jenny Maxwell (Loughborough Lightning), 1 Christine Belisle (Cartha Queens Park), 2 Lana Skeldon (unattached), 3 Megan Kennedy (Stirling County), 4 Emma Wassell (Corstorphine Cougars), 5 Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), 6 Evie Gallagher (Stirling County), 7. Rachel McLachlan (unattached), 8. Siobhan Cattigan (Stirling County)
Bench 16 Jodie Rettie (Saracens), 17 Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), 18 Lisa Cockburn (Darlington Mowden Park), 19 Nicola Howat (Sale Sharks), 20 Mairi McDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill), 21 Sarah Law (unattached), 22 Evie Wills (Stirling County), 23 Rachel Shankland (Stirling County)
Wales 15 Jasmine Joyce; 14 Lisa Neumann, 13 Gemma Rowland, 12 Hannah Jones (captain), 11 Caitlin Lewis; 10 Robyn Wilkins, 9 Megan Davies;
1 Caryl Thomas, 2 Robyn Lock, 3 Donna Rose, 4 Natalia John, 5 Teleri Wyn Davies, 6 Manon Johnes, 7 Bethan Dainton, 8 Georgia Evans.
Bench 16 Kelsey Jones, 17 Gwenllian Jenkins, 18 Cerys Hale, 19 Gwen Crabb, 20 Shona Powell-Hughes, 21 Abbie Fleming, 22 Jade Knight, 23 Megan Webb.
