Six changes for WXV3 champions Ireland, including one new cap

Ireland have named a team showing six changes – including new cap Katie Corrigan – for Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations opener away to France in Le Mans.

The Irish clinched WXV3 title success in Dubai in their last outing, coming from behind to defeat Spain 15-13 on October 28 and round off that tournament with a three-game winning streak.

Their return to action 17 weeks later will see them take the field against the French with four changes to their backs and two to their pack.

England Women’s coach John Mitchell on the Red Roses squad

Video Player is loading.

Play Video

PauseSkip BackwardSkip Forward

Unmute

Current Time 0:00

/

Duration 6:25

Loaded: 0%

0:00

Stream Type LIVE

Seek to live, currently behind liveLIVE

Remaining Time -6:25

 

1x

Playback Rate

Chapters

• Chapters

Descriptions

• descriptions off, selected

Captions

• captions settings, opens captions settings dialog
• captions off, selected

Audio Track

• en (Main), selected

Fullscreen

This is a modal window.

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

Text

ColorWhiteBlackRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-Transparent

Text Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityOpaqueSemi-TransparentTransparent

Caption Area Background

ColorBlackWhiteRedGreenBlueYellowMagentaCyanOpacityTransparentSemi-TransparentOpaque

Font Size

50%75%100%125%150%175%200%300%400%

Text Edge Style

NoneRaisedDepressedUniformDrop shadow

Font Family

Proportional Sans-SerifMonospace Sans-SerifProportional SerifMonospace SerifCasualScriptSmall Caps

ResetDone

Close Modal Dialog

End of dialog window.

Close Modal Dialog

This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button.

England Women’s coach John Mitchell on the Red Roses squad

Lauren Delany is at full-back in place of the benched Meabh Deely while the 19-year-old Corrigan will debut on the right wing instead of Natasja Behan.

The Irish have also changed their half-backs with Nicole Fowley and Aoibheann Reilly taking over from Dannah O’Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe, who are included as replacements.

Fixture

Womens Six Nations

France Women

38 - 17

Full-time

Ireland Women

All Stats and Data

In the pack, co-captain Sam Monaghan misses out as she is continuing her return-to-play protocols. Her place at lock has gone to Hannah O’Connor, while the other pack change is at back row where Aoife Weafer is in for the benched Grace Moore.

Head coach Scott Bemand told the IRFU website: “We are all very excited to get our Guinness Women’s 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 in Stade Marie-Marvingt.”

Ireland (vs France, Saturday)
15. Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
14. Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
12. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11. Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht)
10. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht)
9. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht)
1. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)
3. Christy Haney Blackrock College/Leinster)
4. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/Munster)
5. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)
6. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster)
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) Captain
8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere /Ulster)

Replacements:
16. Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College/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. Meabh Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht)