The Combined Provinces XV have enjoyed two wins in the inaugural Celtic Challenge tournament to date, beating the WRU Development XV in Cardiff before defeating The Thistles in Belfast last time out.
Hannah O’Connor captains the side from the back row, with McWilliams and the National Coaching Team once again selecting an exciting combination of international players and young stars who have impressed throughout the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League and Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Series.
The squad are building towards the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, which gets underway on Saturday, 25th March as Ireland open their Championship against Wales in Cardiff.
Combined Provinces XV (v WRU Development XV, Kingspan Stadium, Saturday, February 17th, 4.30pm):
15. Ella Durkan (Ulster/Blackrock College RFC)
14. Aoife Doyle (Munster/Railway Union RFC)
13. Aoife Dalton (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
12. Kayla Waldron (Connacht/Galwegians RFC)
11. Natasja Behan (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster/Railway Union RFC)
1. Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster/Cooke RFC)
2. Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Munster/Old Belvedere RFC)
3. Christy Haney (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
4. Clodagh O’Halloran (Munster/UL Bohemians RFC)
5. Fiona Tuite (Ulster/Old Belvedere RFC)
6. Brittany Hogan (Ulster/Old Belvedere RFC)
7. Molly Boyne (Leinster/Railway Union RFC/Dublin University FC)
8. Hannah O’Connor (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)(captain)
Replacements:
16. Jess Keating (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
18. Linda Djougang (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
19. Claire Bennett (Munster/UL Bohemians RFC)
20. Maeve Óg O’Leary (Munster/Blackrock College RFC)
21. Ailsa Hughes (Leinster/Railway Union RFC)
22. Aoife Wafer (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
23. Meabh Deely (Connacht/Blackrock College RFC)
