Ireland women’s head coach Greg McWilliams has named his team for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with Italy in Parma (kick-off 4.45pm – live on Virgin Media Two/BBC iPlayer).
McWilliams has made three changes to the starting XV for the round three clash at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, with Lauren Delany, Anna McGann and Ailsa Hughes all starting in the Ireland backline.
Delany comes into the side at fullback alongside Aoife Doyle and Tash Behan in the back three, with McGann, who previously featured off the bench, joining Aoife Dalton in the midfield for her maiden Test start.
In the half backs, Hughes is selected at scrumhalf for her first appearance of the Championship, partnering her Leinster team-mate Dannah O’Brien at outhalf.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
TV View: Jekyll and Hyde put in another shift for Ireland at the Aviva
‘I hate losing more than I love winning’: Argentina rue the one that got away
‘We’ll see the best of it in the next two games’: Andy Farrell backs Ireland players to come good
McWilliams has named an unchanged pack for the visit to Italy, with Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney continuing in the frontrow. Captain Nichola Fryday partners Sam Monaghan in the secondrow, while Dorothy Wall, Grace Moore and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird are retained in the backrow.
Ireland suffered heavy defeats to Wales and France in their opening two games, while Italy have also lost to France before a 68-5 thrashing against England.
Commenting ahead of the game, McWilliams said: “It has been a really good block of preparation for this game. We arrived in Parma yesterday afternoon following three days of hard work in Dublin, and the group have come back focused and energised after the down week.
“Saturday will be another stiff challenge for us against a side that reached the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup, but again it is one we are relishing as a group as it gives us the opportunity to continue our development in the Test arena.”
IRELAND: Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster).
Replacements: Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster), Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht).
