Bemand Names Ireland Team For Guinness Women’s Six Nations Opener In London

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named the Ireland Match Day Squad, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s opening Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash against England at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham (Kick-off 2.25pm).

Captain Erin King will lead Ireland into the 2026 Championship in London, with Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald set to reach the milestone of 50 Test caps, while uncapped prop Eilís Cahill and scrum-half Katie Whelan are in line for their debut appearances in green off the replacements bench.

Stacey Flood starts at full-back, with Béibhinn Parsons and Vicky Elmes Kinlan on the wings for Ireland. Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton are selected in midfield, as Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien link up in the half backs at scrum-half and out-half respectively.

In the pack, Ellena Perry, Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang are Ireland’s starting front row.

Moloney-MacDonald will become the 16th Ireland women’s player to reach half a century of appearances in green, following on from Djougang hitting the milestone during last year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 in England.

Dorothy Wall and Fiona Tuite make up Ireland’s second row on Saturday, with Brittany Hogan at blindside flanker, captain King at openside and Aoife Wafer packing down at number eight.

Bemand has an exciting mix of youth and experience among his replacements, with Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Ruth Campbell and Grace Moore joined by the debutant Cahill – who has impressed recently for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge – as the forward reinforcements.

There is also a potential first cap for replacement scrum-half Whelan, who has previously been capped for Ireland Women’s Sevens on the HSBC SVNS Series, while Nancy McGillivray and Anna McGann complete Ireland’s Match Day 23.

Sam Monaghan and Aoibheann Reilly were ruled out of selection through injury.

Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 in Republic of Ireland and BBC One in Northern Ireland/United Kingdom, while there is live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

Ireland (v England):

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(24)
14. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(31)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(28)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(32)
11. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)(4)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(30)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(20)

1. Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(4)
2. Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(49)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(52)
4. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs)(37)
5. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(20)
6. Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks)(38)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(Captain)(7)
8. Aoife Wafer (Harlequins)(16)

Replacements:

16. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(41)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury)(20)
18. Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
19. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(12)
20. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(26)
21. Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
22. Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)(3)
23. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(14).

* denotes uncapped