Vodafone Women’s Interpros: Finals Day – Team News
Munster lock Dorothy Wall is pictured in action against Leinster during the round robin phase of the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship ©INPHO/Bryan Keane
Molly Boyne will replace the injured Hannah O’Connor as Leinster’s captain for the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship final. For Saturday’s decider in Belfast, unbeaten Munster are boosted by the return of Enya Breen to the team.
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The 3rd-4th place play-off curtain raiser at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 2pm) brings together Connacht and Ulster again, with Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon, and teenage backs Sarah Purcell and Hannah Clarke, coming in as the westerners’ three changes.
As Kathryn Dane has earned a call-up for the Barbarian Women’s clash with South Africa next week, Queen’s University scrum half Rachael McIlroy deputises for her in the Ulster side.
There are also starts for Lucinda Kinghan, Megan Edwards, and Ava Fannin, and number 8 Brittany Hogan is handed the captaincy reins by head coach Murray Houston.
The main event at the home of Ulster Rugby kicks off at 4.15pm, and table-topping Munster are targeting a repeat of their 32-21 second round victory over Leinster, the defending champions.
Ireland international Breen was the Vodafone player-of-the-match in that game, and slots back in at inside centre for Munster tomorrow, alongside Stephanie Nunan. Dungarvan’s Aoibheann McGrath, a development player, could win her first cap off the bench.
O’Connor’s absence for Leinster sees Ireland Under-20 captain Jane Neill come into the back row. Railway Union’s Boyne steps up as skipper, Caoimhe Molloy moves to number 8, and Ireland star Dannah O’Brien is fit for bench duty, backing up Nikki Caughey at out-half.
Tickets for the finals day double header are available to buy here, while there will be live coverage of both matches on TG4, and also the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website.
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VODAFONE WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP – FINALS DAY:
Saturday, August 31 –
3RD-4TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:
CONNACHT (3rd) v ULSTER (4th), Kingspan Stadium, kick-off 2pm (live on TG4/BBC iPlayer/BBC website)
The three Connacht players included in Ireland’s 35-player squad yesterday, McMahon, Méabh Deely, and co-captain Nicole Fowley, will all start their final match of the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship campaign.
Having been influential during her second half cameo against Munster last week, McMahon comes into the back row. It will be her first Interprovincial start since she left to play her club rugby in England back in 2019.
In all, Connacht head coach Emer O’Dowd has made three changes in personnel, also bringing Purcell, last year’s Under-18 Interprovincial title-winning captain, and elusive winger Clarke into the starting XV.
Clarke and in-form forward Faith Oviawe, who shifts to the second row, are two of the training panellists who will be part of the Ireland camp ahead of their encounter with Australia in mid-September, and the WXV1 tournament in Canada.
Purcell’s inclusion in the Connacht line-up sees Éabha Nic Dhonnacha swap out for a bench role, with Orla Fenton and Emily Foley, a dual Ireland U-18 international from Ballina, called up to the matchday 23 for tomorrow’s play-off.
Speaking ahead of the game, Connacht head coach O’Dowd said: “We’ve gone very close to getting a win on two occasions. We came within four (points against Munster) last Saturday, and we drew up in Ulster.
“Now I know Ulster are going to throw the kitchen sink at us, and it’s not going to be easy, especially on home turf for them. But we’re going to go up and really look to get a performance for 80 minutes, and that’s what we need.
“Our start hasn’t been great, it definitely wasn’t great against Munster. It was a bit better against Leinster. We can’t let them get momentum, and we can’t be chasing the game. We just need a start and we need to play for 80.”
Meanwhile, with Vicky Irwin ruled out for Ulster, Ireland Sevens international Kinghan, a contracted player in the Women’s High Performance programme, makes up a new centre pairing with Blackrock College’s Catherine Martin.
Old Belvedere flyer Edwards also comes in for her first start of the tournament, with Dane’s absence covered by McIlroy, who has impressed as a replacement in recent weeks, most notably during Ulster’s fightback for a 25-all draw with Connacht.
Hogan, the Vodafone player-of-the-match in that first Connacht fixture, gets to lead her province for the Kingspan Stadium finale. The only alteration up front sees Blackrock prop Ava Fannin get the nod on the loosehead side.
Ulster are missing the firepower of versatile forward Fiona Tuite up front, but two of their other forwards selected in the Ireland squad, Hogan and uncapped prop Sophie Barrett, will both feature in this battle for a third place finish.
Looking forward to a third successive run-out for his charges on home soil, Ulster boss Houston commented: “Getting to play at home against Connacht is an opportunity to go out and put in a really good performance, but ultimately get that victory we’re looking for as well.
“Connacht have been very good throughout the competition. We have to be wary of how they played in the first half up here (in the second round), so it’s about getting that consistency.
“Getting that consistent message across, making defence the big emphasis of our training sessions, so all our roles and responsibilities are tied down.”
CONNACHT: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC); Ava Ryder (Exeter Chiefs), Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC), Sarah Purcell (Creggs RFC), Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC); Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC) (co-capt), Gráinne Moran (Ballina RFC); Ella Burns (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Lily Brady (UL Bohemian RFC), Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians RFC), Béibhinn Gleeson (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs), Shannon Touhey Tierney (Tullamore RFC) (co-capt).
Replacements: Stacy Hanley (Galwegians RFC), Ellen Connolly (Galwegians RFC), RoisÃn Maher (Galwegians RFC), Poppy Garvey (Sligo Rugby), Orla Fenton (Galwegians RFC), May Goulding (Saracens), Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian RFC), Emily Foley (Ballina RFC).
ULSTER: Lauren Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC); Lucy Thompson (Enniskillen RFC), Catherine Martin (Blackrock College RFC), Lucinda Kinghan (Railway Union RFC), Megan Edwards (Old Belvedere RFC); Abby Moyles (Blackrock College RFC), Rachael McIlroy (Queen’s University Belfast RFC); Ava Fannin (Blackrock College RFC), India Daley (Enniskillen RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC), Brenda Barr (Suttonians RFC), Cara O’Kane (Cooke RFC), Moya Hill (Enniskillen RFC), Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC) (capt).
Replacements:Â Christy Hill (Ballymena RFC), Bronach Cassidy (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Megan Brodie (Blackrock College RFC), Ellen Patterson (Queen’s University Belfast RFC), Stacey Sloan (Cooke RFC), Paige Smyth (Ballynahinch RFC), Lauren Patterson (MU Barnhall RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Peita McAlister (Malone RFC).
CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL:
MUNSTER (1st) v LEINSTER (2nd), Kingspan Stadium, kick-off 4.15pm (live on TG4/BBC iPlayer/BBC website)
Skibbereen native Breen is back in Munster’s midfield after missing last Saturday’s 29-24 triumph away to Connacht. She brings 21 international caps’ worth of experience into the fold again, with Nunan reverting to the outside centre role.
Gloucester-Hartpury’s Siobhán McCarthy continues at loosehead prop, having earned a call-up to Scott Bemand’s Ireland squad. Tipperary youngster Beth Buttimer has caught the eye alongside her, with her set-piece work and two tries so far.
Munster’s starting pack has been virtually unchanged throughout the Championship, with Dorothy Wall’s return in the second round the only significant switch. This will be her final appearance for the province following her move to Exeter Chiefs.
No doubt on a high after being selected in the Ireland squad, Alana McInerney and Chisom Ugwueru fill the wing berths once more for the Reds. Between them, they ran in nine tries across the Interpros’ round robin phase.
Young half-backs Kate Flannery and Muirne Wall continue to lead a potent Munster back-line, while teenage front rower McGrath, who has Ireland Under-18 experience under her belt, is listed among the replacements and is in line for her senior debut.
Hoping her charges can regain the trophy they last lifted in January 2023, Munster head coach Fiona Hayes said: “I think that win (over Leinster in Cork) gave a slight bit of confidence to the squad. We have that going forward.
“We know this Leinster team are absolutely brilliant. They have such athletes, such ball players, and they’ve added a couple of girls into their squad now – we see Aoife Wafer and Niamh O’Dowd coming in last week, and they are class players.
“I suppose last year going into that final game, we didn’t have that win under our belt, and I think with young players, for them to have that belief and see that they are capable of going toe-to-toe with these girls, some of whom they look up to, and beating them…
“I think that win down in Musgrave is definitely something which will give us confidence, but going into every game, it’s completely different. Travelling up to Belfast, we know the Leinster that we’re going to see, it’s going to be some battle but we’re looking forward to it.”
Meanwhile, Arklow RFC product Neill will step up for her first senior start for Leinster, just seven weeks after leading the Ireland U-20 Women to their first ever win at the age-grade, a 30-point success against Scotland at the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series.
O’Connor’s ill-timed injury has opened the door for the 20-year-old Neill, who join forces in the loose forwards with Gorey native Molloy and Boyne, who captained the Wolfhounds to Celtic Challenge glory at Kingspan Stadium last February.
Teenage full-back Robyn O’Connor is rewarded for her try-scoring exploits during last week’s 39-14 defeat of Ulster, starting again in the back-three alongside Emma Tilly and Ella Roberts.
Former Ulster out-half Caughey will direct operations from half-back alongside Navan youngster Jade Gaffney (20), who continues at scrum half with Ireland call-up Katie Whelan still sidelined.
Four members of Leinster’s settled tight five will link up with the national side on Monday, as the squad assembles at the IRFU High Performance Centre, with uncapped lock Ruth Campbell amongst them.
The fit-again Aoife Wafer, who had a fine cameo off the bench in round three, is held in reserve again, and there could be a seasonal debut for Ireland out-half O’Brien, the scorer of that match-winning penalty against Scotland in Belfast back in April.
MUNSTER: Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC); Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC), Stephanie Nunan (UL Bohemian RFC), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian RFC); Siobhan McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC), Éilis Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs), Claire Bennett (UL Bohemian RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC) (capt).
Replacements: Aoibheann McGrath (Dungarvan RFC), Ciara O’Dwyer (UL Bohemian RFC), Ciara McLoughlin (UL Bohemian RFC), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian RFC), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC), Lucia Linn (Loughborough Lightning), Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC).
LEINSTER: Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC); Emma Tilly (MU Barnhall RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Railway Union RFC), Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC); Nikki Caughey (Malone RFC/Railway Union RFC), Jade Gaffney (Navan RFC/Old Belvedere RFC); Linda Djougang (Wanderers FC/Old Belvedere RFC), Sarah Delaney (PortDara Falcons RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC), Ruth Campbell (Naas RFC/MU Barnhall RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Eimear Corri (Portlaoise RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Jane Neill (Arklow RFC/Galwegians RFC), Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC) (capt), Caoimhe Molloy (Gorey RFC/Wicklow RFC).
Replacements:Â Aoife Moore (Carrick-on-Suir RFC/Blackrock College RFC), Kelly Burke (Mullingar RFC), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC), Aoife Wafer (Enniscorthy RFC/Gorey RFC/Blackrock RFC), Dannah O’Brien (Tullow RFC/Old Belvedere RFC), Ailsa Hughes (Tullamore RFC/Railway Union RFC), Jemma Farrell (Old Belvedere RFC), Anna Doyle (Tullow RFC/Blackrock College RFC).