It is third plays fourth in the Women’s RBS 6 Nations as Ireland host Wales in their rescheduled encounter at Ashbourne RFC. Both sides have posted one win to date in the Championship, with the girls in green beating Italy 40-10 and Wales accounting for Scotland (20-0).
2012 WOMEN’S RBS 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Saturday, March 3
IRELAND WOMEN (3rd) v WALES WOMEN (4th), Ashbourne RFC, 2.30pm
Team News: The Ireland Women’s team to play Wales in the Women’s RBS 6 Nations Championship at Ashbourne RFC on Saturday has been named by head coach Philip Doyle.
Doyle has again selected an unchanged side for the rescheduled fixture against the Welsh at the County Meath venue.
Ireland were due to play Wales in the first round of the Championship, but the match was called off at half-time due to a deterioration of weather conditions.
The girls in green defeated their Italian counterparts 40-10 in their last outing, with winger Niamh Kavanagh grabbing two of the side’s six tries.
Jennifer Murphy was sprung from the bench to score her first try at this level, while the rest of the replacements also got game-time in the second half.
Ireland are currently third in the Six Nations standings following this first win of the campaign. If they manage to beat the Welsh, they will close the gap on leaders England and France, who have both won their opening three games, to just two points.
Meanwhile, Wales have made two changes to their starting line-up for their return to Ireland to face the girls in green.
Both changes are in the backs with Philippa Tuttiett coming onto the left wing in place of Caryl James, while Laura Prosser replaces Amy Day at scrum half. Both Day and James drop down to the replacements bench.
* A disciplinary hearing for Wales captain Rachel Taylor will be held in Dublin on Saturday morning, following the citing complaint made against her by the Rugby Football Union for Women (RFUW) for an alleged act of foul play during the Women’s Six Nations match again England last weekend.
The citing complaint will be heard by an independent Six Nations disciplinary committee. Should the disciplinary committee reject the citing complaint and/or impose no suspension on Taylor, she will be free to play in the Wales v Ireland game.
Should the disciplinary committee uphold the citing complaint and impose a suspension, the Welsh skipper will not be permitted to play in the match in Ashbourne.
IRELAND WOMEN: Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster); Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster), Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Highfield/Connacht); Lynne Cantwell (Exile), Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Exile), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster).
Replacements: Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s/Leinster), Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster), Larissa Muldoon (Exile/UWIC/Ulster), Nikki Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Jennifer Murphy (Exile).
WALES WOMEN: Rosie Fletcher; Charlie Murray, Adi Taviner, Rebecca De Filippo, Phillipa Tuttiett; Naomi Thomas, Laura Prosser; Caryl Thomas, Rhian Bowden, Jenny Davies, Vicky Owens, Shona Powell-Hughes, Sioned Harries, Rachel Taylor (capt), Jamie Kift.
Replacements: Lowri Harries, Megan York, Clare Flowers, Lisa Newton, Amy Day, Mared Evans, Caryl James.
Referee: Kevin White (Scotland)
Assistant Referees: John Montayne, Edward Kenny (both Ireland)
Pre-Match Quotes: Rhys Edwards (Wales Women) – “Philippa comes in for Caryl as she offers a more physical presence on the wing and we’re expecting a physical battle against Ireland.
“Amy came off against England and isn’t 100 percent so Laura takes her place. She offers us a kicking option as well which is an added bonus.
“We can take some positives out of last weekend’s game against England. In the first half we were very competitive. We took the game to them and created some chances but were unable to put points on the board.
“This weekend is just about the win – I don’t mind if we win 3-0 or by 20 points, we’ve just got to go there and get a result.”
Pre-Match Links –
Irish Rugby TV: Ireland Women v Italy Women Highlights
Irish Rugby TV: Larissa Muldoon
Recent Meetings –
2009: RBS Women’s 6 Nations: Wales Women 13 Ireland Women 10, Taffs Well RFC, Cardiff
2010: RBS Women’s 6 Nations: Ireland Women 18 Wales Women 3, Ashbourne RFC
2011: RBS Women’s 6 Nations: Wales Women 15 Ireland Women 14, Cross Keys RFC, Gwent
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