The Ireland Women’s Team to play Scotland in the RBS 6 Nations Championship has been named by Head Coach Philip Doyle.
Doyle has made a number of changes to the side that lost out 12-14 to France in the last round of the championship.
Two players have been promoted from the bench, Leinster’s Emer McManamly makes a start in the front row while Heather O’Brien comes into the in the second row to partner Marie-Louise Reilly.
Laura Guest moves from the second row to the back row. Lauren Day and Carol Staunton have been named in the replacements and with both players having particularly impressive matches last time out it looks as though the manager is having a look at his options ahead of the supposedly tougher matches against Wales and England.
The Irish side were unlucky not to snatch a late win against the French side and will be looking to get their Six Nations campaign back on track against a re-building Scottish side.
Ulster’s Day joins fellow Ulster players Stacey Lea Kennedy and Larissa Muldoon on the bench with all three keen to get some game time. Kennedy, who featured in City of Derry’s win in the Rosie Stewart Cup at the weekend, is particularly keen for some time on the pitch having remained bench bound in the thriller against France.
Muldoon’s quick service at scrum half certainly appeared to free up the Irish backs against the French so it will be interesting to see if the Donegal youngster gets more time on the pitch against Scotland.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
1 | England | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 87 | 5 | 82 | 4 |
 |
2 | France | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 15 | 52 | 4 |
 |
3 | Ireland | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 19 | 19 | 2 |
 |
4 | Wales | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 2 |
 |
5 | Scotland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 94 | -79 | 0 |
 |
6 | Italy | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 10 | 94 | -84 | 0 |
Ireland sit third in the table behind the unbeaten English and French who play each other this weekend and the Irish side are keen to push for a second place finish as they look to improve an last years World Cup finish.
Ireland Coach Philip Doyle said “We came very close to a win against France, but in the end they held out. We can take a lot of positives from that performance with us to Scotland.”
“The mood in the camp is upbeat and there is a sense of desire to deliver a performance in what will be another tough encounter against Scotland”
Ireland Women v Scotland Women (RBS 6 Nations Championship, Lasswade RFC, Edinburgh, Saturday, 26th February, Kick-off 14:00hrs):
15. Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster)
14. Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster)
13. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile)
12. Geraldine Rea (Highfield/Munster)
11. Mairead Kelly (UL Bohemians/Munster)
10. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
9. Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster)
1. Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) Captain
2. Gillian Bourke (Bristol/Munster)
3. Emer McManamly (Blackrock/Leinster)
4. Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster)
5. Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
6. Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
8. Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Replacements
16. Stacey Kennedy (City of Derry/Ulster)
17. Lauren Day (Waterloo/Ulster)
18. Deirdre O’Brien (Blackrock/Leinster)
19. Carol Staunton (Galwegians/Connacht)
20. Larissa Muldoon (UWIC/Exile)
21. Gill Nolan (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
22. Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Leinster)
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