Head coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland team, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s first Test against Japan at Ecopa Stadium in Fukuroi city (kick-off 7pm local time/11am Irish time, live on TG4).
The summer tour is a valuable window for McWilliams and his coaching team to develop squad depth, build cohesion and expose a number of young players to the international arena.
With that in mind, there are four uncapped players included in the starting XV – captained by Nichola Fryday – and a further two set for their debuts off the bench.
Méabh Deely, Natasja Behan, Aoife Dalton and Dannah O’Brien all start in the back-line, while second row Taryn Schutzler and centre Leah Tarpey are named among the replacements for the Saturday night showdown with the Sakura Fifteen.
It has been a breakthrough summer for full-back Deely, who in June made her Ireland Sevens debut at the opening leg of the Rugby Europe Championship in Lisbon.
Behan earns her first cap on the right wing having been in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations squad earlier this year. Aoife Doyle completes the Ireland back three.
The 19-year-old Dalton, who along with O’Brien and Tarpey completed the Leaving Certificate in June, starts in midfield alongside Enya Breen, with out-half O’Brien partnering Ailsa Hughes at half-back.
Dalton, O’Brien and Tarpey are all part of the Women’s National Talent Squad (WNTS) and having first trained with McWilliams’ national panel back in February and then further impressed during the summer programme, earn their opportunity in green this weekend.
There is an experienced and powerful look to the pack with Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Katie O’Dwyer named to start together in the front row.
Skipper Fryday and Sam Monaghan pair up in the second row, and loose forwards Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon and Hannah O’Connor complete the starting line-up.
McWilliams has a number of strong options to come off the bench if required, including Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse, Christy Haney, Schutzler and Grace Moore up front, and Nicole Cronin, Tarpey and Molly Scuffil-McCabe in the backs.
Speaking ahead of the game, McWilliams said: “Our extended squad of 51 players have worked incredibly hard all summer and we have got through a really pleasing body of work since arriving in Japan last Friday.
“The players have adapted brilliantly to difficult conditions and it has been a good week of preparation for us.
It is a hugely exciting time for everyone involved in the programme as we prepare to face Japan in these two summer Tests and for us, it’s all about hard work, development and opportunity.
“With that in mind, it is exciting to include a number of young players this weekend and we are all looking forward to seeing them pull on the green jersey having worked so hard over the last couple of months.
“Saturday marks another important staging post on our journey as a group and we will come up against a really strong Japan side who are finalising their preparations for the Rugby World Cup.
“We will learn and grow through this experience and that is invaluable for us.”
Saturday’s match is live on TG4 from 10.40am Irish time, while there will be extensive match day coverage on IrishRugby.ie and across Irish Rugby social media channels.
Player/Club/Province/Caps –
15. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) *
14. Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) *
13. Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Leinster) *
12. Enya Breen (TBC/Munster) 14
11. Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster) 10
10. Dannah O’Brien (Tullow RFC/Leinster) *
9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 14
1. Linda Djougang (TBC/Leinster) 22
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster) 11
3. Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 10
4. Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt) 27
5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) 9
6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) 15
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby) 19
8. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 12
Replacements:
16. Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 11
17. Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) 5
18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 4
19. Taryn Schutzler (Saracens/Ulster) *
20. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby) 3
21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) 20
22. Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Leinster) *
23. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 2
* Denotes uncapped player
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