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Head Coach Scott Bemand has named the Ireland Match Day Squad, for Saturday’s opening Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash against France, in Stade Marie-Marvingt (Kick-off 2.15pm Irish time, live on RTÉ).
Edel McMahon will captain the side from the back row, as co-captain Sam Monaghan is continuing her return to play protocols, with one uncapped player named in the Match Day squad.
19-year-old Leinster winger Katie Corrigan is selected on the wing having impressed Bemand and the Ireland coaching team during the recent Celtic Challenge competition.
The Ireland backline contains an exciting blend of youth and experience, with Nicole Fowley making her comeback to Six Nations, as she starts at out half, after playing her last Six Nations game in 2009 against Wales, before making her international comeback in October for the WXV3 series in Dubai against Kazakhstan. Béibhinn Parsons is on the wing, with experience duo Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins making up the centre pair, as Lauren Delaney starts in fullback. As Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Dannah O’Brien and Méabh Deely provide the backline reinforcements on the bench.
Up front, Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney make up the front row, Dorothy Wall and Hannah O’Connor in the second row. Captain Edel McMahon, Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan are selected in the back row, with Sarah Delaney, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite and Grace Moore giving Bemand strong options from the bench.
Commenting on the selection, the Ireland Head Coach Bemand said:
“We are all very excited to get our Six Nations campaign underway and we come into this weekend ready to put a confident performance out there. We have had a good block of preparation with players returning and we are ready to compete. I’m looking forward to seeing all the hard work come together on Saturday and what a place to kick start our Six Nations, in Stade Marie-Marvingt.”
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ and live updates on our twitter and instagram channels – @irishrugby
Ireland Team (v France, Sevens Stadium Dubai, Saturday 23 March, Stade Marie-Marvingt, kick off 2.15pm Irish time)
15. Lauren Delaney (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
14. Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
12. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11. Béibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)
10. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht)
9. Aoibheann Reilly (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)
1.Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)
3. Christy Haney Blackrock/Leinster)
4. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock/Munster)
5. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock/Leinster)
6. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock/Leinster)
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) Captain
8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)
16. Sarah Delaney (Blackrock/Leinster)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster)
19. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
20. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby)
21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster)
22. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
23. Méabh Deely (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)
*Denotes uncapped player
