Ireland Women Unchanged For USA Match
Head coach Philip Doyle has named the same starting line-up for Ireland’s second game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup against the USA on Tuesday. It will be a landmark occasion for number 8 Joy Neville as she wins her 50th cap.
Philip Doyle has made two changes to the replacements bench, with Chris Fanning and Caroline Mahon coming in in place of Yvonne Nolan and Carol Staunton.
Tuesday’s game will be a memorable one for former skipper Joy Neville as she will notch up her 50th cap for Ireland, joining the likes of current team-mates Fiona Coghlan, Lynne Cantwell and Jo O’Sullivan who have all passed that landmark.
Ireland lost their opening pool game of the tournament against hosts and favourites England last Friday.
Commenting on that performance, Doyle said: “I thought we deserved a little bit more. We matched England at times but they are a great outfit and had a bit more pace and power. We will take the positives out of it and move on.”
Looking forward to the match against the USA, he added: “Our application was good against England but we will work on recognising our chances and taking them for this game.”
Team captain Fiona Coghlan was pleased with some aspects of the first game, saying: “Our scrum and defence have improved but we gifted them two cheap scores. We knew it would be a hard game but we have to move on.”
IRELAND WOMEN’S TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v USA Women, 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup Pool B, Surrey Sports Park, Tuesday, August 24, kick-off 4.30pm):
15 – Niamh Briggs (Clonmel/Munster)
14 – Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster)
13 – Joanne O’Sullivan (Richmond/Exile)
12 – Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemians)
11 – Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
10 – Helen Brosnan (Highfield/Munster)
9 – Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster)
1 – Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt)
2 – Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster)
3 – Louise Austin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
4 – Kate O’Loughlin (Clonmel/Munster)
5 – Marie Louise Reilly (Navan/Leinster)
6 – Orla Brennan (Blackrock/Leinster)
7 – Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
8 – Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Replacements:
16 – Chris Fanning (Highfield/Munster)
17 – Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster)
18 – Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians/Munster)
19 – Sinead Ryan (Blackrock/Leinster)
20 – Louise Beamish (UL Bohemian/Munster)
21 – Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster)
22 – Mairead Kelly (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup Pool B Results/Fixtures –
England 27 Ireland 0, Surrey, Friday, August 20
USA v Ireland, Surrey, Tuesday, August 24, 4.30pm
Ireland v Kazakhstan, Surrey, Saturday, August 28, 4.30pm