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Dane To Make Her First Start For Ireland Women

Kathryn Dane will make her first start for the Ireland Women's team away to Italy this weekend ©INPHO/Ryan Byrne

The Ireland Women’s team to play Italy in the third round of the Women’s Six Nations in Parma on Saturday (kick-off 7.45pm local time/6.45pm Irish time) has been named.

Head coach Adam Griggs has made just one change to the side that earned a 22-5 bonus point win over Scotland in Glasgow two weeks ago. Old Belvedere scrum half Kathryn Dane, who made her debut off the bench against England, has been selected for her first international start.

Ailsa Hughes moves to the replacements bench which also includes Lindsay Peat and Laura Sheehan who are named in the matchday squad for the first time in this season’s Six Nations. Fit-again prop Peat is poised to win her 25th cap, while winger Sheehan could make her Six Nations debut in Italy.

Ahead of Saturday night’s game, which will be shown live on RTÉ 2, Griggs said:

It was great to come away with five points after the Scotland Test. It was a physical game in tough conditions, but the players were focused on putting in a good team performance together and showing the quality rugby they can produce.

“We were pleased with the opportunities that we created and while the challenge for this group is to become even more clinical under pressure, we definitely feel each week we are improving and taking the right steps to get there.

“The Italian game should be a cracker, they have played well of late and are unbeaten so far in this Championship. We’ve been preparing diligently and know they have quality footballers that will put you under real pressure. We’ll need to be aware of these and look to close them down early if we are to get any success on Saturday.”

IRELAND WOMEN’S Team & Replacements (v Italy Women, 2019 Women’s Six Nations Championship, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Saturday, February 23, kick-off 7.45pm local time/6.45pm Irish time):

15. Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/IQ Rugby)
14. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster)
13. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
12. Michelle Claffey (Blackrock/Leinster)
11. Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht)
10. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht)
9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
1. Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht)
2. Emma Hooban (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
3. Leah Lyons (Harlequins)
4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)
5. Nichola Fryday (Galwegians/Connacht)
6. Anna Caplice (Richmond)
7. Claire Molloy (Wasps)
8. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt)

Replacements:

16. Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
17. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
18. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster)
19. Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
20. Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
21. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster)
22. Ellen Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
23. Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemians/Munster)