WXV1: New Zealand v Ireland

Fresh from their impressive win over Australia, the Ireland Women (sponsored by Aon) are part of a thrilling triple header in Vancouver where they take on World champions New Zealand on WXV1’s opening day.

WXV1 – ROUND 1:

Sunday, September 29 –

NEW ZEALAND v IRELAND, BC Place, Vancouver, 7pm local time/3am Irish time (live on RugbyPass TV/BBC iPlayer)

Team News: Edel McMahon captains Ireland from the back row, as head coach Scott Bemand retains continuity in his selection from the six-try success against the Wallaroos in Belfast earlier this month.

There is just one change in the back-line as Sevens star Stacey Flood comes in to start at full-back, with Eimear Considine switching to the right wing, and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe continuing on the left.

With 37 caps between them, Aoife Dalton and Enya Breen make up the midfield pairing, and the half-back berths are filled again by Dannah O’Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe, who is currently living in New Zealand, studying at Massey University and playing most recently for Manawatū.

Up front, Fiona Tuite’s inclusion is the second and final change to the team. The Ulster forward joins Dorothy Wall in the second row for her first international start, behind a front row of Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, and Linda Djougang.

The starting pack is completed by Aoife Wafer, who has scored four tries in her last six Tests, skipper McMahon, and number 8 Brittany Hogan, who says the girls in green are ‘ready to hit the ground running’ in Canada.

Bemand has an exciting blend of youth and experience to call on from the replacements bench, with Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Grace Moore, and Erin King joining uncapped Cork-born prop Andrea Stock as the forward options.

Backs Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, and Vicky Elmes Kinlan complete Ireland’s matchday 23. That trio, along with Flood, Murphy Crowe, and King, played at BC Place during last February’s Canadian leg of the HSBC SVNS Series.

Looking forward to Ireland’s WXV1 debut, Bemand said: “We’ve had a really good training week here in Vancouver, including a valuable hit-out against France on Wednesday.

“We’re facing into three matches against the top teams in the world, and New Zealand first up present physical and ball movement threats, so the training we’ve done and the intensity of the session against France has let us tune into that.

“In terms of selection, we’ve had some good competition for places in recent weeks which has led to some difficult conversations.

“We’re pleased with how the group are performing, and we feel we’ve got the right blend in our matchday squad for the opening game of the campaign.”

Meanwhile, for only New Zealand’s third Test encounter with Ireland, the selected team shows six personnel changes to the side that lost 24-12 to England in London a fortnight ago.

There is a completely new front row of Marcelle Parkes, who starts at loosehead prop for the first time, Atlanta Lolohea, and Amy Rule. The starting trio all play for Canterbury and Matatū.

Hurricanes Poua flanker Layla Sae is added to the back row, meaning a switch to number 8 for Liana Mikaele-Tu’u from the Blues. Kennedy Tukuafu shares the captaincy duties with Ruahei Demant, the 2022 World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year.

The return of Amy du Plessis in midfield sees Demant revert to the out-half position. Ruby Tui, winning her 18th cap on the right wing, is set for an intriguing individual duel with Murphy Crowe, having played each other many times on the Sevens circuit.

NEW ZEALAND: Renee Holmes (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato); Ruby Tui (Chiefs Manawa/Counties Manukau), Logo-i-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt (Blues/Auckland), Amy du Plessis (Matatū/Canterbury), Katelyn Vahaakolo (Blues/Auckland); Ruahei Demant (Blues/Auckland) (co-capt), Maia Joseph (Matatū/Otago); Marcelle Parkes (Matatū/Canterbury), Atlanta Lolohea (Matatū/Canterbury), Amy Rule (Matatū/Canterbury), Chelsea Bremner (Chiefs Manawa/Canterbury), Maiakawanakaulani Roos (Blues/Auckland), Layla Sae (Hurricanes Poua/Manawatū), Kennedy Tukuafu (nee Simon) (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato) (co-capt), Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (Blues/Auckland).

Replacements: Luka Connor (Chiefs Manawa/Bay of Plenty), Chryss Viliko (Blues/Auckland), Tanya Kalounivale (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato), Alana Bremner (Matatū/Canterbury), Lucy Jenkins (Matatū/Canterbury), Iritana Hohaia (Hurricanes Poua/Taranaki), Hannah King (Hurricanes Poua), Mererangi Paul (Chiefs Manawa/Counties Manukau).

IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC); Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster); Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), Siobhán McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury/Munster), Andrea Stock (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC).

Referee: Sara Cox (England)

Pre-Match Quotes – Aoife Dalton (Ireland): “What an opportunity to play here (BC Place) against the World champions. Everyone’s getting excited now. That’s what we set out for, especially after this year’s Six Nations.

“We wanted to qualify, and that’s what we did, and we found ourselves here in WXV1, and that’s where we want to be, playing against the top teams in the world.”

Allan Bunting (New Zealand): “We know Ireland will be an awesome challenge for us at this part of our journey. It has been inspiring to see their progression this year.

“But for us, want to ensure that we start our WXV1 campaign playing our game. With the changes we have made to our 23, it offers an opportunity to grow different combinations as we build into the tournament.”

Match Facts – New Zealand v Ireland:

• This is their first meeting in eight years, since New Zealand ran out 38-8 winners in Dublin
• Portia Woodman-Wickliffe scored a hat-trick that day at the UCD Bowl, with Selica Winiata crossing twice and Kelly Brazier once
• Ireland’s try came when they were 38-3 down in the final minute through Niamh Kavanagh after an assist from Sene Naoupu
• The Ireland Women became the first Irish national team to beat New Zealand in international rugby when they triumphed 17-14 in the 2014 Rugby World Cup’s pool phase in France
• Heather O’Brien and Alison Miller scored Ireland’s tries in the famous victory, with Niamh Briggs converting both and then kicking a 70th-minute penalty which turned out to be the match winner after Kelly Brazier had levelled just five minutes earlier
• This is the only pool match that the New Zealand Women have lost at a Rugby World Cup, and it ended a run of 20 consecutive wins in the tournament dating back to a semi-final loss to the USA in 1991
• Only two members of the current Ireland squad – Cliodhna Moloney and Nicole Fowley – played the last time the teams met eight years ago, while there are no survivors from New Zealand’s class of 2016

WXV1 Head-To-Head: New Zealand v Ireland

Previous Meetings –

2014: Rugby World Cup Pool B: New Zealand 14 Ireland 17, FFR Centre National du Rugby, Marcoussis

2016: November Series: Ireland 8 New Zealand 38, UCD Bowl

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