Aoife Dalton and Nicole Fowley are among the changes to Ireland’s starting XV for their final fixture in the WXV 1 tournament.
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has announced his team for Friday’s game (kick-off 8.30pm Irish time), naming Dalton at outside centre while Eve Higgins moves to the bench.
Fowley comes in at outhalf to partner scrumhalf Emily Lane, who holds on to her position from Ireland’s 21-8 defeat to Canada on Sunday.
The backline of Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Eimear Considine and Stacey Flood remains unchanged from the Canada game, and captain Enya Breen stays put at inside centre.
The Counter Ruck: the rugby newsletter from The Irish Times
Stacey Flood inspires Wolhounds to impressive bonus-point win over Clovers
No decision yet if Connacht’s Mack Hansen will be sanctioned for his criticism of referees
‘It’s really f***ing starting to get to us as a team’ - Mack Hansen hits out at how Connacht are refereed
Up front, Neve Jones comes in for Clíodhna Moloney as hooker, joining Niamh O’Dowd and Linda Djougang in the frontrow.
There are no changes to the remainder of the pack from Sunday’s game. Dorothy Wall and Fiona Tuite make up the secondrow, Erin King and Aoife Wafer return as flankers and Brittany Hogan is at eight.
Ranked above the USA (sixth to their eighth), Ireland will be hoping to end the tournament on a high having started with an impressive win against New Zealand before the loss last weekend against the WXV 1 hosts.
IRELAND (v USA, Vancouver – Friday, 8.30pm Irish time): Stacey Flood; Eimear Considine, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen (capt), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Nicole Fowley, Emily Lane; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Dorothy Wall, Fiona Tuite; Erin King, Aoife Wafer, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Andrea Stock, Ruth Campbell, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Dannah O’Brien, Eve Higgins.
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
