Four Connacht players on Irish squad to play France

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named the Ireland Match Day Squad, for Saturday’s opening Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash against France, in Le Mans (Kick-off 2.15 pm Irish time, live on RTÉ).

Edel McMahon will captain the side from the back row, as co-captain Sam Monaghan is continuing her return to play protocols, with one uncapped player named in the Match Day squad. 19-year-old Leinster winger Katie Corrigan is selected on the wing having impressed Bemand and the Ireland coaching team during the recent Celtic Challenge competition.

The Ireland backline contains an exciting blend of youth and experience, with Nicole Fowley making her comeback to Six Nations, as she starts at out-half, after playing her last Six Nations game in 2009 against Wales, before making her international comeback in October for the WXV3 series in Dubai against Kazakhstan. Béibhinn Parsons is on the wing, with experienced duo Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins making up the centre pair, as Lauren Delaney starts as fullback. Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Dannah O’Brien and Méabh Deely provide the backline reinforcements on the bench.

Up front, Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney make up the front row, Dorothy Wall and Hannah O’Connor in the second row. Captain Edel McMahon, Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan are selected in the back row, with Sarah Delaney, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite and Grace Moore giving Bemand strong options from the bench.

Ireland Team (v France, Sevens Stadium Dubai, Saturday 23 March, Stade Marie-Marvingt, kick-off 2.15 pm Irish time)

15. Lauren Delaney (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
14. Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
12. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
11. Béibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)
10. Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht)
9. Aoibheann Reilly (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)

1.Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)
3. Christy Haney Blackrock/Leinster)
4. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock/Munster)
5. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock/Leinster)
6. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock/Leinster)
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) Captain
8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)

16. Sarah Delaney (Blackrock/Leinster)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster)
19. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
20. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby)
21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster)
22. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
23. Méabh Deely (Ballinasloe RFC/Blackrock/Connacht)