THE IRELAND women’s team to play Italy in their opening match of the RBS Six Nations was named yesterday by head coach Philip Doyle. Fiona Coghlan will again captain the side and is joined in the frontrow by Gillian Bourke, who is now playing her club rugby in Bristol. Lauren Day, who missed out on the World Cup through injury, completes the trio.

Marie Louise Reilly is partnered in the secondrow by Laura Guest, while Carol Staunton and Claire Molloy will pack down in the back row either side of dynamic number eight Joy Neville.

Nora Stapleton, who made her debut against Italy last year, moves from the wing to outhalf, a position she has been playing for her club side Old Belvedere.

She will be partnered in the half backs by Blackrock’s Amy Davis.

The highly experienced Lynne Cantwell is joined in the centre by Highfield’s Geraldine Rea. Niamh Briggs will again assume the kicking duties from fullback, with UL Bohemians wingers Maireád Kelly and Niamh Kavanagh completing the back three.

IRELAND: N Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster); N Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster), L Cantwell (Richmond/Exile); G Rea (Highfield/Munster); M Kelly (UL Bohemians/Munster); N Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), A Davis (Blackrock/Leinster); F Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (c), G Bourke (Bristol/Munster), L Day (Waterloo/Ulster); M Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), L Guest (Highfield/Munster), C Staunton (Galwegians/Connacht), C Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), J Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster).

Replacements: Stacey Kennedy (City of Derry/Ulster), E McManamly (Blackrock/Leinster), D O'Brien (Blackrock/Leinster), H O'Brien (Highfield/Munster), L Muldoon (UWIC/Exile), G Nolan (St Mary's/Leinster), J Shiels (Richmond/Leinster)