IRELAND'S HEAD coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland Match Day 23 for the opener against Wales today.
Starting in the front-row Neve Jones as hooker, Katie O’Dwyer, and Linda Djougang also start.
Behind the two locks are Sam Monaghan and new captain Nichola Fryday. Fryday was announced as Ireland's new captain this week after Ciara Griffin retired.
A first Test cap awaits! 🙌 — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 24, 2022
Congratulations to Aoibheann Reilly, who starts for Ireland in the #TikTokW6N this weekend! #NothingLikeIt | #IREvWAL pic.twitter.com/mZc65kiTjb
Dorothy Wall has returned from injury having missed last Autumn’s November Series to start at blindside flanker, with Edel McMahon selected at openside and Brittany Hogan at number eight.
At half-back's Aoibheann Reilly starts at scrum-half for the first time, while Nicole Cronin starts at 10 to win her 17th cap.
A new center pairing of Stacey Flood and Eve Higgins wil line out for McWilliam's in midfield.
Lucy Mulhall, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe take up duties on either flank, while Eimear Considine starts at full-back for her country.
Ireland's replacements are Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse and Hannah O’Connor Kathryn Dane, Enya Breen and Beibhinn Parsons.
McWilliams spoke about the squad selection which was posted on the IRFU website.
"This is a great start for us as a group, we’re really excited about the youth and experience in the team, '' he said."
"We’ll learn a lot from this game, but for these players to go out and represent Ireland at the RDS is going to be special. It’ll be a great occasion and I’m excited to see how they perform, because we’ve got through a lot of work over the last couple of weeks.”
📋 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. — Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) March 24, 2022
Head Coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday's #TikTokW6N opener against Wales at @TheRDS 👊#NothingLikeIt | #IREvWAL
The game against Wales at The RDS will kick-off 4.45pm, live on Virgin Media One/BBC Two Northern Ireland.
Ireland: E Considine; AL Murphy Crowe, E Higgins, S Flood, L Mulhall; N Cronin, A Reilly; L Djougang, N Jones, K O'Dwyer, N Fryday (capt), S Monaghan, D Wall, E McMahon, B Hogan.
Replacements: E Hooban, C Pearse, C Haney, A McGann, H O'Connor, K Dane, E Breen, B Parsons.
