The Ireland Women have a proud home record with just one defeat since 2011. An improving Scotland side are the visitors this weekend as the girls in green look to finish the season with a third successive victory at Donnybrook.
2016 WOMEN’S RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Sunday, March 20
IRELAND WOMEN (3rd) v SCOTLAND WOMEN (6th), Donnybrook, 1pm (live on Irish Rugby TV)
Team News: Tom Tierney’s selected Ireland team shows seven personnel changes and two positional switches to the side that beat Italy 14-3 last Sunday at the Dublin 4 venue.
Experienced captain Niamh Briggs reverts from centre to her usual position of full-back. She will have Liz Burke, who won her first Ireland cap last weekend, and Alison Miller alongside her on the wings.
Ulster’s Claire McLaughlin, who was another new cap against the Italians, will partner Sene Naoupu in the centre for her first international start.
Out-half Nora Stapleton and scrum half Larissa Muldoon form an experienced half-back partnership, with 71 caps between them.
Up front, Ruth O’Reilly returns to her regular loosehead berth and joins Zoe Grattage and Ailis Egan in the front row. Ciara Cooney moves from the back row to partner Elaine Anthony in the second row.
Ciara Griffin switches from openside to blindside flanker to allow Claire Molloy don the number 7 jersey and Paula Fitzpatrick, Ireland’s second half try scorer against Italy, will start at number 8.
Replacements Fiona Hayes and Orla Fitzsimons will be hoping to make their first Six Nations appearances of the season, while Aine Donnelly returns to the matchday squad having missed the Italy match.
Meanwhile, Scotland Women’s boss Shade Munro has named an unchanged team and bench following last week’s competitive 24-0 loss to eventual title winners France.
Included in the line-up are nine BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 2 players and three players who made their debuts in this year’s Championship – Lisa Thomson and Rhona Lloyd, who have held their starting positions since England, and Helen Nelson who won her first cap against France from the bench.
The powerful back row trio returns with number 8 Jade Konkel and flankers Jemma Forsyth and Karen Dunbar. Emma Wassell and Deborah McCormack remain a tight duo in the second row, with the locks set to earn their 16th caps for Scotland Women.
Hooker Lana Skeldon is back in action with her experienced Hillhead/Jordanhill club-mates Heather Lockheart, on 82 caps, and Lindsey Smith, 28 caps.
Half-backs Sarah Law and Jenny Maxwell will start alongside centres Lisa Martin, who has captained the side from the outset of this campaign, and Thomson, who was named player-of-the-match against France following a solid ball-carrying shift.
The back-three is made up of Chloe Rollie at full-back and wingers Lloyd and Megan Gaffney, all of whom have started every Six Nations match this year.
The bench remains the same with forwards Sarah Quick, Lisa Robertson, Tracy Balmer, Fiona Sim and Anna Stodter and backs Nelson, Lauren Harris and Eilidh Sinclair keen to get game-time against last year’s champions.
Match Ticket Info: Click here to buy tickets for Ireland Women v Scotland Women. Tickets are priced at €;15 for unreserved seating, €;10 for terrace standing, €;5 for children and €;5 for a family (two adults and two children).
Women’s RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt); Liz Burke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Claire McLaughlin (Queen’s University/Ulster), Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Skewen); Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht), Zoe Grattage (Tralee/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Elaine Anthony (Highfield/Munster), Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster), Ciara Griffin (Tralee/Munster), Claire Molloy (Bristol), Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse).
Replacements: Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union/Leinster), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster), Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht), Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara/Leinster), Kim Flood (Railway Union/Leinster).
SCOTLAND WOMEN: Chloe Rollie (Murrayfield Wanderers); Megan Gaffney (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Lisa Thomson (Melrose RFC/Edinburgh University), Lisa Martin (Murrayfield Wanderers) (capt), Rhona Lloyd (Murrayfield Wanderers/Edinburgh University); Sarah Law (Murrayfield Wanderers/Edinburgh University), Jenny Maxwell (Leeds Beckett University/Lichfield RFC); Heather Lockhart (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Lana Skeldon (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Lindsey Smith (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Emma Wassell (Murrayfield Wanderers), Deborah McCormack (Richmond RFC), Jemma Forsyth (Hillhead/Jordanhill), Karen Dunbar (RHC Cougars/Edinburgh University), Jade Konkel (Hillhead/Jordanhill).
Replacements: Sarah Quick (Murrayfield Wanderers), Lisa Robertson (Murrayfield Wanderers), Tracy Balmer (Worcester RFC), Fiona Sim (Saracens RFC), Anna Stodter (Saracens RFC), Helen Nelson (Murrayfield Wanderers/Edinburgh University), Lauren Harris (Melrose RFC), Eilidh Sinclair (Murrayfield Wanderers).
Referee: Sherry Trumbull (Canada)
Assistant Referees: Helen O’Reilly, Gary Glennon (both Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes – Tom Tierney (Ireland Women): “Building strength in depth has been a key focus for us this campaign. Since we began the season back in November with our first ever autumn Test against England, there have been 14 new caps and that is very important for Women’s rugby in Ireland.
“Overall we’re pleased with how the Six Nations has progressed so far. While the results away to England and France were disappointing, we have won our two home games and will be hoping to make it three this weekend.
“Scotland have a new coaching ticket and quality new players this season playing a very competitive style of rugby. We again have some new combinations out there, which I’m sure will be exciting and will hopefully allow us to finish the campaign on a high.”
Shade Munro (Scotland Women): “We had a really good first half against France, we certainly took it to them. One of our goals was to compete physically with them for 80 minutes and we achieved the goals we had individually and collectively set as a team, which was really pleasing.
“The effort is there and I’m really proud of the progress the squad has made during this Six Nations campaign. We can compete with these teams – the potential is definitely there.
“This final game against Ireland is another chance for us to improve and work on the things we can control. The players are looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the match, while also doing the thistle proud.”
Pre-Match Links –
Ireland Women Enjoy Winning Start Against Wales
Ireland Women Fall To Two-Try France
Ireland Women Edged Out By Two-Try England
Ireland Women Get Back To Winning Ways Against Italy
Ireland Women’s Team Empower Results
Match Facts –
– All of the Ireland Women’s matches in the Six Nations this year have been won by the home side on the day
– Ireland’s only home defeat since 2011 was 10-5 to France in Ashbourne in round 2 last year
– The Scotland Women have not won a game in the Women’s Six Nations since beating France at Lasswade in 2010, while they have not won on the road in the tournament since beating Spain in Madrid in 2006
– The Ireland Women have won their last ten contests against Scotland since the Scots won 11-10 at Edmonton, Canada during the 2006 World Cup
Recent Meetings –
2013: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Scotland Women 3 Ireland Women 30, Lasswade RFC, Edinburgh
2014: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Ireland Women 59 Scotland Women 0, Ashbourne RFC
2015: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Scotland Women 3 Ireland Women 73, Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld
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