Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, one of the brightest attacking weapons for Ireland on the Sevens circuit, is set to make her 15s debut against France on Saturday at Energia Park (kick-off 2.15pm, live RTÉ Two).
Blackrock hooker Emma Hooban is also added to the bench alongside Murphy Crowe, who has scored 98 tries in 131 World Series games, as coach Adam Griggs names an unchanged starting XV.
“We were happy with the result against Wales,” said Griggs of last Saturday’s 45-0 win in Cardiff. “We set ourselves a goal of starting this competition off with a win so to achieve that in the manner we did was pleasing.
“We know France will be another step up in terms of intensity and physicality and have quality players across the park. We have spoken a lot in this group about testing ourselves against world class opposition, Ultimately, we have to stay focused on improving our own game with each performance so to play the fourth ranked team in the world will give us a great indication of where we are currently at.”
More to follow...
Ireland: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster)(16 caps); Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)(13), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)(1), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)(39), Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht)(9); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(18),Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)(11); Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)(32), Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(24), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(10); Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)(14), Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)(16), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/ Munster)(5), Claire Molloy (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(71), Ciara Griffin (Captain)(UL Bohemian/Munster)(34).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College/Leinster)(7), Katie O'Dwyer (Railway Union/Leinster)(2), Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)(17), Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster)(2), Hannah O'Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)(3), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster)(1), Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)(1), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)*.
