Ireland Squad Named For Crunch Scotland Showdown with Munster women named from the start

Head Coach Adam Griggs has named his Ireland Match Day 23 for Saturday’s Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifier showdown against Scotland in Parma (Kick-off 5pm Irish time, live on RTÉ2, World Rugby YouTube and rugbyworldcup.com/2021).

Griggs has selected an unchanged starting XV for the Round 3 clash at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, as Ireland bid to book their ticket to next year’s Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

Heading into the final round of fixtures, Ireland, hosts Italy, Spain and Scotland are all locked on five points in the standings with Saturday’s double header set to determine which side secures their spot New Zealand and who progresses through to the final Repechage tournament as the second-ranked team.

Griggs has maintained consistency in selection for the meeting with Six Nations rivals Scotland, rewarding the players who produced a measured performance to defeat Italy in Round 2.

Munster duo Eimear Considine and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe continue in the back three alongside Beibhinn Parsons, with Eve Higgins and Sene Naoupu retained in the Ireland midfield. Kathryn Dane and Stacey Flood are named in the half backs.

Laura Feely, Cliodhna Moloney and Linda Djougang pack down in the front row, with Nichola Fryday partnered by Sam Monaghan in the second row once again. Dorothy Wall starts at blindside flanker, with Edel McMahon at seven and captain Ciara Griffin at number eight.

There is one change on the Ireland replacements bench from last week, with Lucy Mulhall coming into the 23 in place of Enya Breen, who unfortunately was ruled out through injury.

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1441360760089845763

Commenting ahead of the game, Griggs said: “It has been another good week of preparation, and the group have maintained that laser-focus on the task ahead. We’re under no illusions of the challenge facing us but also the prize on offer, and have not shied away from embracing the pressure Saturday will inevitably bring.

“We have received huge support from home throughout this tournament and are looking forward to having more green in Parma on Saturday. Hopefully we can deliver the result we’re all striving to achieve.”

Saturday’s game will be broadcast on RTÉ2 for supporters in the Republic of Ireland, as well as on World Rugby’s YouTube and Facebook channels and on rugbyworldcup.com/2021.

Ireland (v Scotland):

15 Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster)(20)

14 Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)(4)

13 Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)(4)

12 Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(43)

11 Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht)(13)

10 Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)(5)

9 Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)(15)

1 Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)(21)

2 Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(28)

3 Linda Djougang  (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(14)

4 Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)(20)

5 Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(2)

6 Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/Munster)(9)

7 Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(11)

8 Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/Munster)(Captain)(38)

Replacements:

16 Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)(4)

17 Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)(36)

18 Leah Lyons (Sale/IQ Rugby)(27)

19 Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster)(6)

20 Claire Molloy (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(72)

21 Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster)(5)

22 Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum/Leinster)(1)

23 Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)(15).

Watch Dorothy Wall talking ahead of the clash here:

https://twitter.com/IrishRugby/status/1441385386039721984