A cracking contest is in prospect as the Ireland Women resume their Six Nations challenge at home to England, the team that knocked them out of Rugby World Cup contention last August.
2015 WOMEN’S RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 27
IRELAND WOMEN (3rd) v ENGLAND WOMEN (4th), Ashbourne RFC, 7.30pm (live stream on www.IrishRugby.ie/live RTÉ 2fm)
Team News: Ireland Women’s head coach Tom Tierney has made a single change to the team that lost 10-5 to their French counterparts in the last outing of the tournament a fortnight ago.
Hannah Tyrrell, who missed out on the French game due to concussion, has completed the return-to-play protocols and will start on the right wing.
Tyrrell is joined by Alison Miller on the opposite wing with goal-kicking captain Niamh Briggs completing the back-three.
Jenny Murphy and recent debutant Katie Fitzhenry make up the centre pairing, while Nora Stapleton and Larissa Muldoon continue together at half-back.
Up front, Ruth O’Reilly, Gillian Bourke and Ailis Egan form the front row with the Old Belvedere and Leinster duo Sophie Spence and Marie Louise Reilly again named in the second row. Back rowers Paula Fitzpatrick, Claire Molloy and Heather O’Brien complete the pack.
Speaking ahead of the mid-tournament encounter, Tierney said: “England are a formidable opposition, they are the world champions and we are under no illusions about the strength of this side. Training has gone well and we’re looking forward to playing again in front of a home crowd.
“It was a disappointing loss against France, but there were some positives to take out of it. We have dusted ourselves off and are ready for the next challenge.”
Tonight’s round 3 match will be streamed live on www.IrishRugby.ie with commentary from Adrian O’Farrell and Ireland’s 2013 Grand Slam-winning captain Fiona Coghlan. Match tickets are priced at €;10 for adults and €;5 for OAPs, students and children. Supporters can pay at the gate.
Meanwhile, lynchpin out-half Katy Mclean will captain an England Women side containing three changes for their trip to Co. Meath.
England, who registered a six-try 39-7 victory over Italy the last time out, have called up Saracens full-back Lauren Cattell who replaces Kay Wilson and is set to earn her 10th cap.
Amber Reed, who has been sidelined through injury for the tournament so far, returns to the bench, while Heather Kerr could be set to make her England debut if she comes on as a replacement.
Elsewhere, World Cup-winning out-half Mclean is reinstated as skipper, Tamara Taylor assuming the vice-captain role after leading England in their first two games of the campaign.
Interim England Women’s head coach Nicola Ponsford said: “Without doubt playing Ireland will be the toughest game of the Six Nations so far for us. Ireland are a well drilled and physical side. We have learned our lessons from our loss in Ireland two years ago so we will be ready to take on this challenge.”
Women’s RBS 6 Nations Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt); Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Skewen); Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht), Gillian Bourke (Olympico de Pozuelo), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster).
Replacements: Sarah Mimnagh (Wasps/Exile), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Fiona O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Katie Norris (Blackrock/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile), Sene Naoupu (Galwegians/Connacht).
ENGLAND WOMEN: Lauren Cattell (Saracens); Ruth Laybourn (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Abigail Brown (Bristol), Ceri Large (Worcester), Sydney Gregson (Bristol); Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) (capt), Bianca Blackburn (Worcester); Rochelle Clark (Worcester), Victoria Fleetwood (Saracens), Laura Keates (Worcester), Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Abbie Scott (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Alexandra Matthews (Richmond), Hannah Gallagher (Saracens), Harriet Millar-Mills (Waterloo).
Replacements: Amy Cokayne (Lichfield), Heather Kerr (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Justine Lucas (Lichfield), Rowena Burnfield (Richmond), Hannah Field (Richmond), Fiona Davidson (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Megan Goddard (Worcester), Amber Reed (Bristol).
Referee: Leah Berard (USA)
Assistant Referees: Joy Neville, John Carvill (both Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes – Ailis Egan (Ireland Women): “I have had some interesting games against England. I got my ribs broken on my first start, which was against them in 2011. In the scrum. I got a lesson.
“‘Rocky’ (Rochelle Clark) taught me a lesson in how not to prop, basically. I love playing against her now. She would be up there with the best props in the world so it will be a really big battle.
“It’s a massive game, especially from the pack’s perspective, because we were mangled in the World Cup game so we have a lot to prove. It’s a great opportunity. I love playing England. It’s a great opportunity to see where you are, because they are the best team in the world.”
Katy Mclean (England Women): “Ashbourne is a massively tough place to play. It’s a fortress for Ireland. They get a lot of crowd support and when you’re there, you feel as they the spectators are almost on the pitch.
“You talk about a 16th man – Ireland always have that there and it’ll be a really good test for the young players in our squad. Sometimes as the venue gets bigger you tend to lose the atmosphere. It’s not like that at Ashbourne and, for me, you can’t beat that. It really adds to the event.
“They massively moved on in that World Cup. The game that they put New Zealand out was phenomenal. Then, in the semi against them, we really clicked.
“They’ve also had a couple of retirements of key players too. Fi (Coghlan) and Lynne (Cantwell) were real stalwarts, so both teams are in similar places heading into the next World Cup.”
Pre-Match Links –
Murphy Gunning For Revenge Against England
In Pics: Ireland Women’s Captain’s Run At Ashbourne RFC
Ireland Women Edged Out By France In Ashbourne Thriller
In Pics: Ireland Women 5 France Women 10
Match Facts –
– The Ireland Women have won just one of their last four encounters, 30-5 over Italy in Florence three weeks ago
– Ireland’s eight-match home winning run ended with the 10-5 defeat to France in the last round
– England Women’s only loss in their last eleven matches was 13-0 to Wales in Swansea in round 1 of this year’s Women’s Six Nations
– Ireland’s only previous victory in their 20 encounters with England Women was 25-0 at Ashbourne in this equivalent fixture two years ago
– Ireland have had six different try scorers so far in this year’s Women’s Six Nations – captain Niamh Briggs, Ailis Egan, Gillian Bourke, Paula Fitzpatrick, Jenny Murphy and Heather O’Brien
Recent Meetings –
2013: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: Ireland Women 25 England Women 0, Ashbourne RFC
2014: Women’s RBS 6 Nations: England Women 17 Ireland Women 10, Twickenham; Women’s Rugby World Cup Semi-Final: Ireland Women 7 England Women 40, Stade Jean Bouin, Paris
This website uses cookies.
Read More