IRELAND WOMEN’S HEAD coach Tom Tierney has named his side for Saturday’s Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham.
The team shows a couple of changes from the one which lost heavily to France last time out with Ciara Griffin and Nora Stapleton handed starts.
Griffin’s inclusions sees a reshuffle in the pack with Paul Fitzpatrick shifting to number eight and Heather O’Brien taking her place among the replacements.
Meanwhile, experienced out-half Stapleton starts her first game of the campaign with Nikki Caughey the player to miss out.
“While the result in France didn’t go our way, I thought there were a lot of positives to take from that game and we will be looking to carry them this fixture,” Tierney said.
“We made too many unforced errors in Perpignan, so if we can rectify that I think we have got a very good chance on Saturday.
“Twickenham is a special place to play, so it will be a great experience for the girls, but it is important that we go there looking to perform and hopefully come away with a result.”
Ireland opened their championship defence with a resounding win over Wales but slumped to defeat in Perpignan a fortnight ago.
The game will kick-off at 7.15pm, following the men’s fixture, and is being streamed live online here.
Ireland Women (v England):
15. Niamh Briggs (UL. Bohemians / Munster) Captain
14. Elise O’Byrne-White (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
13. Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara / Leinster)
12. Sene Naoupu (Galwegians / Connacht)
11. Mairead Coyne (Galwegians / Connacht)
10. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
9. Larissa Muldoon (Skewen)
1. Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians / Connacht)
2. Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union / Leinster)
3. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
4. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
5. Marie-Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
6. Ciara Griffin (Tralee / Munster)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol)
8. Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse)
Replacements
16. Zoe Grattage (Tralee / Munster)
17. Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians / Munster)
18. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians / Munster)
19. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union / Leinster)
20. Heather O’Brien (Toulouse)
21. Mary Healy (Galwegians / Connacht)
22. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union / Ulster)
23. Jackie Shiels (Richmond)
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