Parsons And Peat Picked For Ireland Women’s Showdown With Wales
Ballinasloe starlet Beibhinn Parsons has stepped up to make her debut for both the Ireland Women's Sevens and 15s teams this season ©INPHO/Tommy Dickson
The Ireland Women’s team to face Wales in the final round of the Women’s Six Nations in Cardiff on Sunday (kick-off 1.30pm) has been named. Head coach Adam Griggs has made two changes to the side that lost 47-17 to France at Energia Park last weekend.
17-year-old Ballinasloe speedster Beibhinn Parsons has been rewarded with her first start for Ireland, taking over on the left wing from the sidelined Alison Miller whom she replaced early in the second half against the French. The talented teenager won her three previous caps as a replacement.
Lindsay Peat, who has fully recovered from a neck injury, returns at loosehead prop for her first start of the tournament. Donegal native Laura Feely drops to a replacements bench which includes her Galwegians club-mate Edel McMahon, who is back from injury for the Championship finale at the Arms Park.
Fresh from her debut again les Bleues, Skibbereen’s Enya Breen (19) continues at outside centre – she impressed in January’s 29-19 warm-up victory over Wales in Donnybrook – and Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, who made her first Six Nations start against France, will gain more experience in the hooker role.
Speaking ahead of the weekend’s fifth round encounter, which will be shown live on RTÉ 2, Griggs said:
This is the last Test match of the international season for our players and we are determined to finish on a high. Everyone is disappointed with the result against France. We want to make sure we take control of our performance this weekend and finish on a positive note moving forward.
“While we feel our results don’t reflect the team’s progress and performances over the past few weeks, we have been honest with ourselves and know we have to get better at playing at this level.
“The ladies have committed 100% to the last six months and have made a lot of positive strides forward. We now need to combine some of those exciting moments we’ve had with our continuous work-ons to get that complete performance.”
Wales Women v Ireland Women tickets are available to buy from the Cardiff Blues ticket office. Email ticket.office@cardiffblues.com or telephone 029 20 30 20 30 for further information. There will be tickets on sale at the WRU shop on Westgate Street from 10am on Sunday.
IRELAND WOMEN’S Team & Replacements (v Wales Women, 2019 Women’s Six Nations Championship, Cardiff Arms Park, Cardiff, Sunday, March 17, kick-off 1.30pm):
15. Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/IQ Rugby)
14. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster)
13. Enya Breen (UL Bohemians/Munster)
12. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11. Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Connacht)
10. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht)
9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
2. Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (UL Bohemians/Munster)
3. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster)
4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)
5. Nichola Fryday (Galwegians/Connacht)
6. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt)
7. Claire Molloy (Wasps)
8. Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
Replacements:
16. Emma Hooban (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
17. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
18. Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht)
19. Edel McMahon (Galwegians/Connacht)
20. Anna Caplice (Richmond)
21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
22. Ellen Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
23. Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemians/Munster)
IRELAND WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS RESULTS/FIXTURES:
Friday, February 1:
IRELAND WOMEN 7 ENGLAND WOMEN 51, Energia Park, Donnybrook
Friday, February 8:
SCOTLAND WOMEN 5 IRELAND WOMEN 22, Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow
Saturday, February 23:
ITALY WOMEN 29 IRELAND WOMEN 27, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Saturday, March 9:
IRELAND WOMEN 17 FRANCE WOMEN 47, Energia Park, Donnybrook
Sunday, March 17:
WALES WOMEN v IRELAND WOMEN, Cardiff Arms Park, 1.30pm (live RTÉ 2/S4C)