Boosted by the inclusion of several of the Olympics Sevens squad, Ireland women’s head coach Scott Bemand has named a much changed side for Saturday’s IRFU 150th Anniversary Test against Australia at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast (kick-off 2.30pm).
In all there are seven changes to the starting line-up compared to Ireland’s last outing, the gritty 15-12 win over Scotland at the same venue on the final day of the Six Nations which secured both World Cup qualification and a place in the top tier of the WXV.
Ireland Sevens international Vicky Elmes Kinlan will make her Test debut on the right wing and Ruth Campbell is selected to start for her first cap in the secondrow, while uncapped forwards Siobhán McCarthy and Erin King – who alongside Elmes Kinlan became an Olympian at Paris 2024 – are named on the bench.
The 21-year-old Elmes Kinlan, who was originally called up to the squad as a training panellist, starts in the back three alongside Eimear Considine at fullback and prolific Sevens winger Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe on the right wing, who both return to the Test arena for the first time since 2022.
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It is Considine’s first Ireland appearance back since having her first child and recovering from an ACL injury.
Aoife Dalton, a replacement against Scotland, starts alongside Enya Breen in a familiar midfield pairing, and likewise Molly Scuffil-McCabe is promoted at scrumhalf to partner Dannah O’Brien at halfback.
Niamh O’Dowd, another replacement against the Scots, starts at loosehead, with Linda Djougang shifting to tighthead. The team is captained by Edel McMahon in an unchanged backrow alongside Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan.
Bemand has also picked a strong bench which has been replenished by the inclusion of Emily Lane, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood, all of whom were part of the Ireland Women’s Sevens squad at the Olympics.
IRELAND (v Australia, Saturday, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30): Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster); Vicky Elmes Kinlan* (Wicklow), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster); Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), Ruth Campbell* (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), Siobhán McCarthy* (Worcester Warriors/Munster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Erin King* (Old Belvedere), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC), Eve Higgins (Railway Union), Stacey Flood (Railway Union).
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