Amee-Leigh Costigan to captain Ireland against England

Scott Bemand has made three changes to the starting line-up to face England in round three of the Women’s Six Nations in Cork on Saturday.

Captain Edel McMahon and Enya Breen, who captained Ireland in two matches at WXV 1 last year, are both ruled out through injury. Amee-Leigh Costigan will captain the side and retains her position on the right wing, while Brittany Hogan will take McMahon’s place at blindside flanker

Following the bonus-point win against Italy in the last round, the back three remains unchanged with Stacey Flood starting at full-back, and Anna McGann, who scored a hat-trick in the last in Parma, on the opposite wing to Costigan.

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

‘This Energy Never Stops’ – Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025

Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins continue their midfield pairing. Emily Lane is given the nod at scrum-half with Aoibheann Reilly moving to the bench, while Dannah O’Brien continues to pull the strings in the number 10 jersey.

The front row is also unchanged, with Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, and Linda Djougang all starting.

They’ll be joined in the second row by Fiona Tuite and Dorothy Wall. Tuite switches to number 4, while Wall takes her place in the engine room ahead of last week’s starter Ruth Campbell, who’s named as a replacement.

With Hogan on the blindside, Erin King and Aoife Wafer retain their positions on the openside and at number eight respectively.

Ireland have lost in their last eight meetings with England, their most recent by 78 points (10-88) last year at Twickenham Stadium.

Their last two wins against the Red Roses in the Women’s Six Nations came in the years where they won the Championship, in 2013 (25-0), and 2015 (11-8).

Fixture

Womens Six Nations

Ireland Women

5 - 49

Full-time

England Women

All Stats and Data

Ireland team to play England, Virgin Media Park, Saturday 12 April, 16:45

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(16)
14. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(8)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(20)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(23)
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan Railway Union RFC/Munster)(15)(captain)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(21)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(12)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(13)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(32)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(43)
4. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(12)
5. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(34)
6. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(29)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)(6)
8. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(13)

Replacements:

16. Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(40)
17. Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(6)
18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(21)
19. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(4)
20. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(19)
21. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(14)
22. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(14)
23. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)(1).