Ireland Women’s Head Coach Tom Tierney has named the Ireland Women’s side to face England Women at 2pm this Sunday in the UCD Bowl.
In what will be the first of three November Series games for the Ireland Women (the others will see Ireland face Canada on Saturday November 19 and New Zealand on November 27).
Tierney is without some of his more experienced players this weekend due to injuries. Captain Niamh Briggs is one of those side-lined as she continues to rehab an injured hamstring injury she picked up in a recent club game,
Nicole Fowley of Galwegians will win her first cap as she partners Sene Naoupu in the centres, while forwards Leah Lyons and Chloe Pearse will be looking to win their first Ireland caps from the bench on Sunday.
In the front row, loose-head prop Lindsay Peat will make her first start for Ireland, winning her fifth cap in the process and she will be joined by Railway Union team-mateCliodhna Moloney at hooker and old Belvedere’s Ailis Egan at tight-head.
In the second-row, the experienced Marie-Louise Reilly is joined by Orla Fitzsimons.
The back-row is made up of Ciara Griffin, Claire Molloy and Paula Fitzpatrick. St.Mary’s back-row Fitzpatrick will captain the side in Briggs’ absence.
In the backs, the experienced half-back partnership of scrum-half Larissa Muldoon and out-half Nora Stapleton are joined by centres Naoupu and Fowley.
The back-three will see Galwegians’ Mairead Coyne wear the number 15 jersey, with Ireland Sevens winger Alison Miller and UL Bohemians’ Niamh Kavanagh on the wings.
Here's the Ireland Women's team to face @EnglandRugby in UCD this Sunday at 2pm. #BRINGIT pic.twitter.com/AK2PCI7Ged
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) November 10, 2016
Speaking about Ireland’s first game in the November Series, Tierney said;
“This weekend marks the first game of what is arguably going to be the biggest season in the history of Ireland’s Women’s rugby.
The Women’s Rugby World Cup is now less than nine months away, and while there a lot of rugby to be played between now and then, the players are very eager to run out at UCD this Sunday and get things underway in our first ever November Series.”
Ireland Women v England Women at the UCD Bowl, Sunday November 13 – kick-off 2pm.
Ireland team: 1. Lindsay Peat, 2. Cliodhna Moloney, 3. Ailis Egan, 4. Maire-Louise Reilly, 5. Orla Fitzsimons, 6. Ciara Griffin, 7. Claire Molloy, 8. Paula Fitzpatrick – capt.; 9. Larissa Muldoon, 10. Nora Stapleton, 11. Alison Miller, 12. Sene Naoupu, 13. Nicole Fowley, 14. Niamh Kavanagh, 15. Mairead Coyne.
Replacements: 16. Leah Lyons, 17. Fiona Hayes, 18. Fiona Reidy, 19. Katie Norris, 20. Chloe Pearse, 21. Mary Healy, 22. Nikki Caughey, 23. Jackie Shiels.
