HEAD COACH SCOTT Bemand has made 10 changes to the Ireland team for their second Women’s Rugby World Cup warm-up fixture against Canada in Belfast on Saturday (12pm kick-off).

Having disposed of Scotland 27-21 last weekend, Ireland will hope to maintain their momentum into their World Cup opener against Japan in Northampton on August 24.

Former England prop Ellena Perry is in line to make a surprise debut after switching allegiances. The Gloucester Hartpury forward played 11 times for the Red Roses, but has been named on the Irish bench. 

Player of the match Grace Moore continues in an unchanged back-row, alongside recent debutant Ivana Kiripati and vice-captain Brittany Hogan.

Otherwise, fly-half Dannah O’Brien and winger Béibhinn Parsons are the only two survivors.

The front-five of the pack includes Niamh O’Dowd, who scored her first international try against Scotland, and Neve Jones, who has been named as co-captain, with Sam Monaghan included on the bench.

Linda Djougang completes the front-row, while Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite form an all-Leinster second-row pairing.

Connacht scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly partners O’Brien in the half-backs.

Enya Breen and Aoife Dalton form the centre duo, while Anna McGann and Stacey Flood join Parsons in the back-three.

“Last week we fought back hard from conceding early tries, and we know we will need to start stronger this week,” said Bemand.

“There is a lot at stake with the squad for the Rugby World Cup being announced early next week.”

Ireland (v Canada, Saturday, August 9, Affidea Stadium, 12pm)

15 Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster) (19 caps)

14 Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College / Connacht) (27)

13 Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (23)

12 Enya Breen (Blackrock College / Munster) (30)

11 Anna McGann (Railway Union / Connacht) (10)

10 Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (25)

9 Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College / Connacht) (15)

1 Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (16)

2 Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury (36) (Co-Captain)

3 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (47)

4 Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere /Leinster) (7)

5 Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere /Ulster) (16)

6 Grace Moore (Trailfinders / IQ Rugby) (21)

7 Ivana Kiripati (Creggs / Connacht) (1)

8 Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere /Ulster) (33) (Vice Captain)

Replacements:

16 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs) (44)

17 Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby)*

18 Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke / Ulster) (15)

19 Eimear Corri Fallon (Blackrock College / Leinster) (5)

20 Sam Monaghan (Co-Captain) (Gloucester Hartpury / IQ Rugby) (22)

21 Claire Boles (Railway Union / Ulster) (5)

22 Emily Lane (Blackrock College / Ulster) (16)

23 Eve Higgins (Railway Union / Leinster) (27)