Vodafone Women’s Interpros: Round 3 – Connacht v Leinster Preview
Connacht's Ava Ryder and Leinster captain Molly Boyne are pictured together at the recent Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship launch ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Two points separate Connacht from defending champions Leinster in the table as they try to qualify for their first Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship final since 2019.
VODAFONE WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – ROUND 3:
Saturday, August 23 –
CONNACHT (3rd) v LEINSTER (2nd), Dexcom Stadium, 2.30pm (live on Spórt TG4 YouTube Channel)
Match Programme – Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship Round 3
Vodafone Women’s Interpros: Player Rankings – Top Tens After Round 2
Recent Interprovincial Form: Connacht: DLWLW; Leinster: LWWWL
2025/26 Interprovincial Championship Top Scorers: Connacht – Points: Ava Ryder, Faith Oviawe, Roisin Maher 5 each; Tries: Ava Ryder, Faith Oviawe, Roisin Maher 1 each; Leinster – Points: Emma Brogan, Kathy Baker 15 each; Tries: Emma Brogan, Kathy Baker 3 each
Last Five Meetings: 2019: Final: Leinster 25 Connacht 12, Energia Park; 2021: Connacht 12 Leinster 17, the Sportsground; 2023: Leinster 38 Connacht 10, Energia Park; Connacht 18 Leinster 17, the Sportsground; 2024: Leinster 38 Connacht 19, Energia Park
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | Diff | TF | TA | TB | LB | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MUNSTER | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 77 | 27 | +50 | 13 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| LEINSTER | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 59 | 54 | +5 | 11 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| CONNACHT | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 51 | -34 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| ULSTER | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 49 | -21 | 4 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Players To Watch Out For: Connacht: Faith Oviawe – Oviawe’s return in Connacht colours last week helped the province to record a crucial 12-7 home win over Ulster. Now the former Buccaneers forward (23) is back in the starting XV, and eager to show the form which saw her score six tries in last season’s Interprovincial Championship.
Leinster: Alma Atagamen – Like Oviawe, teenager Atagamen was part of Ireland’s Rugby World Cup preparation squad this summer, before making her senior debut for Leinster last Saturday against Munster. The pride of Balbriggan RFC, the Ireland Under-20 and Wolfhounds lock continues to impress as a powerful ball carrier.
Pre-Match Views – Emer O’Dowd (Connacht): “Leinster is massive for us. There’s a final on the cards here. I have 110% confidence in this bunch of girls. I said it from the beginning, these are special, special girls. It’s a special group.
“We set ourselves up against Ulster to play for our families, and do the basics right, and the crowd got behind us. It was just a fantastic result for those girls, I’m just so proud of them. They fought for every inch, at the end Lesley (Ring) put in a huge tackle and that’s the difference.
“With the injury stoppages for Kayla (Waldron) and Emily (Foley), it was nearly like three second halves. We just said to hunker down and just start again. It was tooth and nail, and honestly we probably left a couple of tries out there. But we move on to Leinster.”
Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Leinster): “Just working hard this week, making sure we have our detail down and going to Galway with our aggression ready, and just ready to fight.
“We were hurt after the Munster game, because we know we didn’t really show our true potential. We didn’t show everything we have in the playbook. A few things didn’t really go to plan, but we’re ready to come out fighting against Connacht and hopefully build towards a final.
“The Interpros are great fun. Last summer being a development player (with Leinster) just gave me the experience of training in this sort of environment, and experiencing the match days and stuff like that. Being part of now and feeling the same basically, and just knowing that I have a chance.”
Team News: The Connacht Women’s management team have named their squad for Saturday’s winner-takes-all clash with Leinster at Dexcom Stadium.
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha captains the side from the out-half position, with Jemima Adams Verling and Poppy Garvey named as vice-captains.
Stacy Hanley, Faith Oviawe, Ava Ryder, and Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin come into the starting line-up, while Sinead O’Brien and Aisling Whyte join the bench.
Meanwhile, Leinster head coach Ben Martin has rung the changes with 10 new faces in the team for this third round trip to Galway.
Robyn O’Connor starts at full-back for her first appearance of the season, with Vicky Elmes Kinlan shifting to the wing after scoring on her debut last week, and Katie Corrigan moving up from the bench.
Cara Martin renews her centre partnership with Kathy Baker after the pair started together in midfield in the opening game of the Interpros against Ulster.
Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton moves from full-back to out-half, while Katie Whelan takes the nine shirt after the pair finished last Saturday’s 37-21 loss to Munster as half-back partners.
There are six changes in the pack, with last week’s debutant Alma Atagamen set for her first start in blue alongside Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair in the engine room.
Hannah Wilson, Clodagh Dunne, and Kelly Burke form a new-look front row for the provinces after all three players came off the bench last weekend.
In the back row, captain Molly Boyne retains her place as Rosie Searle and Emma Kelly come in to make their first starts of the campaign.
Kara Mulcahy and Aoife Corcoran will earn their first caps if they are introduced as replacements. Méabh Keegan, Katie Layde, and Ciara Short will provide the remaining cover for the forwards, with backs Jade Gaffney, Heidi Lyons, and Emma Brogan completing the matchday 23.
CONNACHT: Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC); Ava Ryder (Blackrock College RFC), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Fódhla Ní Bhraonáin (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Hannah Clarke (Old Belvedere RFC); Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt), Grainne Moran (Galwegians RFC); Hannah Coen (Creggs RFC), Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC), Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC), Ailish Quinn (Galwegians RFC), Jemima Adams Verling (Creggs RFC).
Replacements: Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC), Ellen Connolly (Galwegians RFC), Hope Lowney (MU Barnhall RFC), Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Caoilfhionn Conway Morrissey (Ennis RFC), Lesley Ring (Old Belvedere RFC), Sinead O’Brien (Galwegians RFC), Aisling Whyte (South East Galway Warriors RFC).
LEINSTER: Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC); Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC), Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC), Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC); Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC); Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC), Kelly Burke (MU Barnhall RFC), Clodagh Dunne (Old Belvedere RFC), Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC), Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), Emma Kelly (Old Belvedere RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC) (capt), Rosie Searle (Navan RFC).
Replacements: Méabh Keegan (Railway Union RFC), Kara Mulcahy (Old Belvedere RFC), Katie Layde (Old Belvedere RFC), Ciara Short (Wicklow RFC), Aoife Corcoran (MU Barnhall RFC), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC), Heidi Lyons (Naas RFC), Emma Brogan (MU Barnhall RFC).
Referee: John Lillis (IRFU)
Assistant Referees: Jamie Coyle, Sarah O’Rourke (both IRFU)