One Change For Ireland Women

Head coach Tom Tierney has made one change to the side that beat Wales 21-3 at Donnybrook last Saturday. The change comes at hooker where Railway Union’s Cliodhna Moloney swaps jerseys with Zoe Grattage who moves to the replacements.
 
Tierney is looking forward to a tough match in Perpignan, saying: “The French will present a very difficult test this weekend. They had an impressive (39-0) win over Italy, so they’ll be coming into this game very confident.
 
“However, we’re confident ourselves that if we look after the basics and put in a good performance we’ll put ourselves in a position to get our first win over France on French soil.”

Saturday night’s eagerly-awaited clash will be broadcast live on RTÉ Two from 7.45pm, with kick-off at 8pm (Irish time).

IRELAND WOMEN’S Team & Replacements (v France Women, 2016 Women’s RBS 6 Nations, Stade Aime Giral, Perpignan, Saturday, February 13, kick-off 9pm local time/8pm Irish time):
 
15. Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt)
14. Elise O’Byrne White (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13. Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara/Leinster)
12. Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht)
11. Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht)
10. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Ulster)
9. Larissa Muldoon (Skewen)
1. Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht)
2. Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union/Leinster)
3. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
5. Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
6. Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol)
8. Heather O’Brien (Toulouse)
 
Replacements:

16. Zoe Grattage (Tralee/Munster)
17. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
18. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster)
19. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster)
20. Ciara Griffin (Tralee/Munster)
21. Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht)
22. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
23. Jackie Shiels (Richmond)