With France’s Grand Slam bid surprisingly ended by Italy, the race to be crowned Women’s RBS 6 Nations champions is really hotting up. A win for Ireland away to Wales would see them go level with the table-topping French on six points.
2015 WOMEN’S RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sunday, March 15
WALES WOMEN (3rd) v IRELAND WOMEN (4th), St. Helen’s, Swansea RFC, 12pm (live stream on www.s4c.co.uk/live RTÉ 2fm)
Team News: Ireland Women’s head coach Tom Tierney has made a one change to the team that overcame England 11-8 in Ashbourne last time out.
Katie Fitzhenry has been ruled out of the game due to an ankle injury she picked up in training last weekend. Jackie Shiels is named in the centre with Aoife Doyle taking her spot on the replacements bench.
It will also be a big day for hooker Gillian Bourke as she wins her 50th cap for Ireland on Sunday. She is the second player in the current squad to achieve the feat after scrum half Tania Rosser (56 caps).
“It was great to get a win against England a fortnight ago. It has left us in a good position for the final two rounds of the Championship, but we are always looking for improvements,” said Tierney.
“We are not underestimating Wales, they are a strong side and we have no doubt they will bring their all with them for the home crowd. If we do the small things right we will be in good shape.”
Sunday’s match will be streamed live by Welsh TV channel S4C and RTÉ 2fm will also have live commentary from Michael Corcoran and former international Fiona Steed.
Meanwhile, second row Rachel Taylor will earn her 50th cap when she leads Wales Women out against Ireland at St. Helen’s as part of a team showing three changes to the side that lost to France.
Gemma Rowlands returns to the centre in place of Robyn Wilkins which means the back-line will be exactly the same which appeared against England.
In the pack experienced campaigner Jenny Davies comes in at loosehead prop for Caryl Thomas, while Jenny Hawkins gets the nod over Rebecca Rowe in the second row.
Wales may have seen their Grand Slam hopes end in Sapiac with a 28-7 defeat to France but if they can beat Ireland, they will pick up their first Triple Crown since 2009.
Women’s RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
WALES WOMEN: Dyddgu Hywel (Pontyclun/Scarlets); Laurie Harries (Llandaff North/Blues), Adi Taviner (Skewen/Ospreys), Gemma Rowland (Wasps/Dragons), Elen Evans (Waterloo/Scarlets); Elinor Snowsill (Dragons), Amy Day (Llandaff North/Dragons); Jenny Davies (Caernarfon/Blues), Carys Phillips (Bath/Scarlets), Catrin Edwards (Llandaff North/Scarlets), Jenny Hawkins (Llandaff North/Blues), Rachel Taylor (Bristol/Dragons) (capt), Sian Williams (Worcester/Dragons), Sioned Harries (Whitland/Scarlets), Shona Powell Hughes (Skewen/Ospreys).
Replacements: Amy Lawrence (Skewen/Ospreys), Caryl Thomas (Bath/Scarlets), Amy Evans (Skewen/Ospreys), Rebecca Rowe (London Welsh/Dragons), Melissa Clay (Pencoed/Ospreys), Keira Bevan (Skewen/Ospreys), Kerin Lake (Skewen/Ospreys), Hannah Jones (Penybanc/Scarlets).
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Skewen); Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht), Gillian Bourke (Olympico de Pozuelo), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster).
Replacements: Sarah Mimnagh (Wasps/Exile), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Fiona O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Katie Norris (Blackrock/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht), Aoife Doyle (Shannon/Munster).
Referee: Claire Hodnett (England)
Assistant Referees: Stuart Kibble, Steff Edwards (both Wales)
Pre-Match Quotes – Heather O’Brien (Ireland Women): “Wales had great start to the campaign in beating England and it was brilliant to see how much that win meant to them. They were dogged and their line speed put England under so much pressure and that ultimately won then the game,” she told Scrumqueens.com.
“Wales are one of the most physical sides I’ve played. For them, their captain Rachel Taylor does a Trojan amount of work for them and Shona Powell Hughes looks to be relishing her time at number 8, so we are going to have our hands full with them.
“Our last few competitive encounters have been so close and Wales is always a tough place to travel to and I suspect this will be no different.
“We have to be more consistent definitely. In the English game we went from turning over a scrum on our five-metre line to conceding a score from a similar position moments later. France had us under pressure for the first half with most of the possession and territory but our defence held out.
“We got off the hook with some penalties (against France), so you could say lucky to be level at half-time. We started the second half well, then against the run of play at that stage in the game they scored an intercept try. We created chances but didn’t convert them.
“As a pack our accuracy was probably better against France but our backs were starting to click against the English. I feel we haven’t seen their full potential yet so that’s an exciting prospect as they improve each game.”
Rhys Edwards (Wales Women): “I was really pleased with how we performed in the first half (against France). We finished strongly and had an opportunity to go in at 8-3 which would have been a true reflection of the half but things turned very quickly with the yellow card right on half time and then three or four minutes after the break we lost another player which made it difficult for ourselves.
“In saying that, France are the Six Nations champions and I thought at times, especially when it was 15 against 15, we were very competitive.
“Ireland won’t be much different to France – they have a big pack and they will try to take the game to us up front. We know it is going to be a physical battle again but we have the players capable of stopping that.”
Pre-Match Links –
Irish Rugby TV: Irish Bid To Host 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup
Briggs Boots Ireland Women To Another Famous Ashbourne Win
In Pics & Video Highlights: Ireland Women 11 England Women 8
Match Facts –
– The Wales Women were victorious in rounds 1 & 2, but tripped up in France (28-7) in round 3
– Wales have won on their last two visits to Swansea, beating Sweden there in 2009 and England in round 1 last month
– The Ireland Women’s last six matches in the Six Nations have ended in three wins and three defeats, while they are attempting to achieve successive away wins for the first time in two years
– Ireland have won their last three matches against Wales at this level
– Ireland full-back and captain Niamh Briggs is the 2015 tournament’s fourth top points scorer so far with 16 points (1 try, 1 conversion and 3 penalties)
– Ireland’s seven tries in the first three rounds were shared out by Briggs, Ailis Egan, Gillian Bourke, Paula Fitzpatrick, Jenny Murphy, Heather O’Brien and Larissa Muldoon
Recent Meetings –
2012: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Ireland Women 36 Wales Women 0, Ashbourne RFC
2013: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Wales Women 10 Ireland Women 12, Talbot Athletic Ground, Aberavon RFC
2014: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Ireland Women 14 Wales Women 6, Ashbourne RFC
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