Four changes for Ireland

Editor

Ireland Women head coach Philip Doyle has made four alterations to the side that took on England at Twickenham in Round Three.

Ireland Women head coach Philip Doyle has made four alterations to the side that took on England at Twickenham in Round Three.

The team make their first ever appearance at the Aviva Stadium against Italy on Saturday.

In the backs experienced centre Grace Davitt comes in for Jenny Murphy to win her 50th cap and Amy Davis replaces Larissa Muldoon at scrum-half. Both Murphy and Muldoon take places among the replacements.

In the forwards, Gillian Bourke switches from hooker to tighthead with Stacey-Lea Kennedy slotting in at hooker and Ailish Egan making way and lining out among the replacements. The only other change to the matchday squad sees Paula Fitzpatrick replace Laura Guest among the substitutes.

“The team put in a strong performance against England at Twickenham and we are very much still in the hunt for the Championship,” said Doyle.

“Italy pushed us all the way last year in the final game of the tournament so we will not be taking them lightly and will need to put in a clinical performance to ensure that we secure victory in our first outing at the Aviva Stadium.”

Ireland Women: 15 Niamh Briggs, 14 Ashleigh Baxter, 13 Lynne Cantwell, 12 Grace Davitt, 11 Alison Miller, 10 Nora Stapleton, 9 Amy Davis,
8 Heather O' Brien, 7 Claire Molloy, 6 Siobhan Fleming, 5 Marie -Louise Reilly, 4 Sophie Spence, 3 Gillian Bourke, 2 Stacey-Lea Kennedy, 1 Fiona Coghlan (c)
Replacements: 16 Ailis Egan, 17 Fiona Hayes, 18 Kerrie -Ann Craddock, 19 Paula Fitzpatrick, 20 Larrissa Muldoon, 21 Hannah Casey, 22 Jenny Murphy, 23 Jackie Shiels