A winning finish to the TikTok Women’s Six Nations is the target for Ireland, who hand a debut to Armagh native Vicky Irwin as international rugby returns to Kingspan Stadium.
2022 TIKTOK WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS: Saturday, April 30
IRELAND WOMEN (5th) v SCOTLAND WOMEN (6th), Kingspan Stadium, 8pm (live RTÉ 2/BBC Two Northern Ireland/BBC Scotland/BBC iPlayer/RTÉ Radio 1 & 1 Extra)
Team News: Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has made three changes in personnel for the team’s first ever Six Nations outing at the home of Ulster Rugby.
The uncapped Vicky Irwin, a former Ulster underage and senior player, will start at full-back and second row Sam Monaghan returns from a calf injury.
With Nicole Cronin ruled out this week due to a back injury, Railway Union ace Nikki Caughey comes in to start at out-half for her first appearance of the Championship.
The 24-year-old Irwin, who currently plays for Sale Sharks, will win her first cap in Belfast, joining Molly Scuffil-McCabe, who switches to the left wing this week, and Aoife Doyle in an exciting back-three.
The midfield pairing remains unchanged as Sene Naoupu, who had her red card from the England game rescinded, and Enya Breen start at outside and inside centre respectively, while Ulster’s Kathryn Dane partners Caughey at half-back.
There is a settled look to the Ireland pack as Monaghan’s return to the engine room is the only change up front.
Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney pack down together in the front row, supported by captain Nichola Fryday and the fit-again Monaghan.
Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon and Hannah O’Connor complete the hosts’ starting line-up, while McWilliams opts for a six-two split on the bench. Named among the replacements, scrum half Ailsa Hughes is in line for her first appearance of the Championship.
“A couple of injuries have forced us to make minor changes this week, but overall we are very pleased with the dynamic of the team and we’re excited to get to work on Saturday,” said McWilliams.
“It will be a special moment for us all to have a big home crowd behind us at Kingspan Stadium, but for Neve, Kathryn and Vicky it will be particularly special to play in Belfast.
“We have received huge support in Dublin and Cork so far in this Six Nations and it’s a massive boost for the whole group to have so many people – young and old – behind us as we embark on our journey together.
“We have learned a lot about ourselves over the last six weeks and we hope to produce a strong performance to finish the Six Nations the way we want this Saturday. It promises to be another great occasion and we can’t wait to see so many of you in Belfast.”
Meanwhile, Scotland head coach Bryan Easson has selected a settled side to face their Celtic rivals. They go with the same line-up that impressed in parts during a 20-13 defeat to Italy. They are led again by flanker Rachel Malcolm.
Rachel McLachlan and Evie Gallagher complete the back row, with the experienced Emma Wassell, one of six Loughborough Lightning players in the squad, and Sarah Bonar lining up together in the engine room.
Molly Wright, a club-mate of Irwin’s at Sale Sharks, and Christine Belisle pack down either side of hooker Lana Skeldon in the Scots’ front row.
In the backs division, Worcester Warriors’ Caity Mattinson partners Sarah Law at half-back, with vice-captain Helen Nelson and Lisa Thomson selected at inside and outside centre respectively.
Full-back Chloe Rollie, a try scorer against Ireland in 2018 and 2021, is part of a pacy back-three alongside wingers Rhona Lloyd and Shona Campbell.
TikTok Women’s Six Nations Results/Fixtures
TikTok Women’s Six Nations Table
IRELAND WOMEN: Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Nikki Caughey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster); Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife McDermott (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Grace Moore (Railway Union RFC/IQ Rugby), Maeve Og O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Michelle Claffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).
SCOTLAND WOMEN: Chloe Rollie (Exeter Chiefs); Rhona Lloyd (Les Lioness du Stade Bordelaise), Lisa Thomson (Sale Sharks), Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Shona Campbell (Edinburgh University); Sarah Law (Sale Sharks), Caity Mattinson (Worcester Warriors); Molly Wright (Sale Sharks), Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Emma Wassell (Loughborough Lightning), Sarah Bonar (Harlequins), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning) (capt), Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks), Evie Gallagher (Stirling County).
Replacements: Jodie Rettie (Saracens), Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), Katie Dougan (Gloucester Hartpury), Louise McMillan (Hillhead Jordanhill), Eva Donaldson (Edinburgh University), Mairi McDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill), Emma Orr (Biggar), Megan Gaffney (Loughborough Lightning).
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Clara Munarini (Italy), Francesca Martin (Wales)
TMO: Ian Tempest (England)
Pre-Match Quotes – Nichola Fryday (Ireland Women):
I’m not going to lie. Last week’s loss, it was disappointing. While there were some really good positives, that scoreline does hurt. We’ve come into this camp and we’ve had to park that, and turn it into energy and excitement for this week.
“Because we really want to end this campaign on a high. We want to get the win. It’s not going to be easy. Scotland, they haven’t got a win yet in this Six Nations, but they’re going to be hurting the same.
“They’re going to want to be putting in a performance on the pitch. We’ve just been trying to really focus on ourselves and make sure that we really put our best foot forward on Saturday. The main focus for us this weekend is just to go out and perform.”
To be down in Cork and Dublin, and to have record-breaking crowds in both venues. For us that is huge. It’s a 16th person for us on that pitch.
“We live off that crowd and the energy that they bring to the pitch for us. It has been really heart-warming as well to see the love of this team and of this sport, across the whole country with the crowds that have come out.”
Bryan Easson (Scotland Women):
We’ve had a very honest review this week so our training sessions have focused on getting the details rights and trying to piece together the positive aspects of our recent performances.
“The decision-making process throughout the Six Nations has been around giving as much experience to as many players we can ahead of the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
“I’ve been really pleased with some of the performances from the younger players who have made the team selection choices a lot tougher.
“I felt the players performed well in the first half against Italy and this is another chance for that group to put the second-half wrongs to right at Kingspan Stadium this Saturday.”