IRELAND SEVENS STARS Béibhinn Parsons and Eve Higgins will make their first international XVs starts in more than a year in Friday’s WXV3 opener against Kazakhstan.

New Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has named his matchday squad for the tournament opener in Dubai [kick-off 4.30pm Irish time, live on RugbyPass], with uncapped trio Sarah Delaney, Megan Collis, Eimear Corri all included among the replacements.

Parsons and Higgins both return for the first time since the 2022 Six Nations, while new co-captains Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon take their places in the pack.

Eight of the Irish XV have 10 senior international caps or less, while loosehead prop Linda Djougang is the most experienced player in the starting line-up with 29 caps.

WXV3 is the third tier of World Rugby’s new international competition for women.

Ireland, who are the highest-ranked team in Division 3, will also take on Colombia (21 October) and Spain (28 October) as they seek to top the division and earn promotion at the first time of asking.

Ireland Women v Kazakhstan

15. Méabh Deely
14. Natasja Behan
13. Eve Higgins 
12. Aoife Dalton
11. Béibhinn Parsons
10. Dannah O’Brien
9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe

1. Linda Djougang
2. Neve Jones
3. Christy Haney 
4. Dorothy Wall
5. Sam Monaghan (captain)
6. Grace Moore
7. Edel McMahon (captain)
8. Brittany Hogan 

Replacements:

16. Sarah Delaney
17. Sadhbh McGrath
18. Megan Collis
19. Eimear Corri
20. Maeve Óg O’Leary
21. Aoibheann Reilly
22. Nicole Fowley
23. Leah Tarpey