Bemand Names Ireland Team To Face Italy At Dexcom Stadium

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named the Ireland Match Day Squad, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash against Italy at Dexcom Stadium (Kick-off 5.40pm).

Following last weekend’s Championship opener in London, Ireland return home for their first Six Nations outing in Galway, with the new Clan Stand now sold out as ticket sales pass the 8,000 mark.

Erin King leads the side into the Round 2 encounter with Italy, as Leinster winger Robyn O’Connor is named in Bemand’s starting team for her debut appearance in green.

O’Connor is joined in the Ireland back three by Stacey Flood at full-back and Béibhinn Parsons on the right wing, with Nancy McGillivray partnering Aoife Dalton in midfield.

There is an unchanged half-back pairing for Ireland as Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien link up once again.

In the pack, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang are selected in the front row, with Ruth Campbell coming into the side to join Fiona Tuite in Ireland’s engine room, while the back row of Brittany Hogan, captain King and Aoife Wafer remaining unchanged.

Bemand has experienced options on the bench to call upon as Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Dorothy Wall and the fit again Sam Monaghan providing the forward replacements, while backs Katie Whelan, Eve Higgins and Anna McGann complete Ireland’s Match Day 23.

Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and BBC iPlayer, with radio commentary available on RTÉ Radio 1.

Ireland:

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(25)
14. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(32)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(29)
12. Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)(4)
11. Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(31)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(21)

1. Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(5)
2. Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(50)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(53)
4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(13)
5. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(21)
6. Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks)(39)
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(8)(captain)
8. Aoife Wafer (Harlequins)(17)

Replacements:

16. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(42)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury)(21)
18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(19)
19. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs)(38)
20. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(27)
21. Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(1)
22. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(33)
23. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(15).

* denotes uncapped