IRELAND HEAD COACH Greg McWilliams has named his team to take on France in the second round of the TikTok Women’s Six Nations this weekend.
And McWilliams has decided to stick with the same matchday 23 from last Saturday’s 27-19 defeat to Wales, as Ireland head to the Stade Ernest-Wallon in Toulouse for a Saturday afternoon clash with Les Bleus [KO 2.15pm, RTÉ 2].
The decision to go with an unchanged selection means star winger Beibhinn Parsons is once again named on the bench. Parsons was declared fully fit ahead of the Wales game, but McWilliams outlined the need to manage the Blackrock College player’s minutes.
📋 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭.
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 31, 2022
Head Coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday's #TikTokW6N showdown against France! 💪#NothingLikeIt | #FRAvIRE
That means Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Lucy Mulhall continue on the wings, with fullback Eimear Considine completing the back three.
Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood start in the centre positions, while out-half Nicole Cronin and scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly – who debuted against Wales – get another chance to test their half-back partnership.
Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Katie O’Dwyer start in the front row, as captain Nichola Fryday lines out alongside Sam Monaghan in the second row.
Dorothy Wall and Edel McMahon start in the back row, alongside number eight Brittany Hogan.
On the bench, the uncapped Christy Haney will hope to win her first cap, having been an unused substitute against Wales.
“We are fully aware of the challenge facing us this weekend, but we’ve had a good week of preparation, taking the positives from our opening game and implementing the learnings on the training pitch,” McWilliams said.
“It is a huge opportunity for us as a group to go and play one of the best teams of the world and test ourselves at this stage of our journey together.”
Meanwhile, France have made seven changes from the team that beat Italy 39-6 on Sunday, including an all-new back three of Mélissande Llorens, Cyrielle Banet and Émilie Boulard.
France
15. Émilie Boulard
14. Cyrielle Banet
13. Maëlle Filopon
12. Gabrielle Vernier
11. Mélissande Llorens
10. Caroline Drouin
9. Laure Sansus
1. Coco Lindelauf
2. Laure Touyé
3. Clara Joyeux
4. Madoussou Fall
5. Audrey Forlani
6. Axelle Berthomieu
7. Gaëlle Hermet (captain)
8. Romane Ménager
Replacements:
16. Célia Domain
17. Annaëlle Deshayes
18. Assia Khalfaoui
19. Céline Ferer
20. Julie Annery
21. Alexandra Chambon
22. Jessy Trémoulière
23. Chloé Jacquet
Ireland
15. Eimear Considine
14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe
13. Eve Higgins
12. Stacey Flood
11. Lucy Mulhall
10. Nicole Cronin
9. Aoibheann Reilly
1. Linda Djougang
2. Neve Jones
3. Katie O’Dwyer
4. Nichola Fryday (captain)
5. Sam Monaghan
6. Dorothy Wall
7. Edel McMahon
8. Brittany Hogan
Replacements:
16. Emma Hooban
17. Chloe Pearse
18. Christy Haney
19. Anna McGann
20. Hannah O’Connor
21. Kathryn Dane
22. Enya Breen
23. Beibhinn Parsons
This week on the Front Row – The42’s new rugby podcast in partnership with Guinness – panellist Eimear Considine makes a welcome return… and she’s brought her Ireland roommate, Hannah O’Connor, along too. They chat about broken noses, tanning routines, initiation songs and balancing the Women’s Six Nations with teaching, plus how one fan named her child after Ireland winger Beibhinn Parsons! Click here to subscribe or listen below:
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