Coach Scott Bemand has confirmed the Ireland Match Day Squad for Sunday’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations encounter with Italy in Parma (Kick-off: 3pm Irish time).
Edel McMahon makes her return to the starting XV and will captain the side as they take on Italy at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi in Round 2 of the championship.
Bemand has kept faith with an unchanged back three, with Stacey Flood retaining her spot at fullback, while Anna McGann and Amee-Leigh Costigan continue on the wings. In midfield, Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton will once again link up.
Following her return from injury off the bench last week, Aoibheann Reilly starts at scrum-half, forming a half-back duo with Dannah O’Brien.
The forward pack sees consistency in selection, with Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, and Linda Djougang anchoring the front row. Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite continue their partnership in the second row.
McMahon leads from blindside flanker, with Erin King at openside, while Aoife Wafer - last weekend’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations Player of the Round - rounds off the starting XV.
Fans can catch all the action live on Virgin Media One and BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Squad:
15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(15)
14. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(7)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(19)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(22)
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan Railway Union RFC/Munster)(14)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(20)
9. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(13)
1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(12)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(31)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(42)
4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(3)
5. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(11)
6. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(31)(captain)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)(5)
8. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(12)
Replacements:
16. Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(39)
17. Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(5)
18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(20)
19. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(18)
20. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(33)
21. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(28)
22. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(11)
23. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(26).
