IRELAND HEAD COACH Philip Doyle has made no surprise selections in his starting XV to face England in tomorrow’s Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final against England.
The starting line-up is made up of the same personnel who helped to bring a famous victory over New Zealand during the group stages a week ago.
Niamh Briggs comes back in to the starting side having been rested for the win over Kazakhstan, while Fiona Coghlan resumes as captain after appearing off the bench in that six-try victory.
While the 15 starters are unchanged from the Black Ferns success, there is one tweak to the replacements bench where winger Hannah Casey fills the number 22 jersey in place of Vicky McGinn.
Ireland (v England, WRWC semi-final):
15. Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster)
14. Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
13. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile)
12. Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster)
11. Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
10. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
9. Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster).
1. Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt)
2. Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster)
3. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
4. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
5. Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
6. Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
7. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
8. Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster).
Replacements:
16. Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
17. Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster)
18. Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster)
19. Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster)
20. Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile)
21. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
22. Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile)
