Adam Griggs has made three changes to the Ireland team for the visit of Italy in the third-place playoff at Energia Park this weekend, with three debutants among the starting XV.
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Stacey Flood and Brittany Hogan are all set for their first Test starts in Dublin, with the showdown with the Azzurre the first helping in Saturday’s Finals Day triple-header.
Crowe came off the bench to make her debut against France last weekend and has been rewarded for her performance with a starting berth on the right wing, with Eimear Considine continuing at full-back and Beibhinn Parsons completing the back three.
Sene Naoupu and Eve Higgins will continue in the midfield, while Flood starts at fly-half having come off the bench in the first two matches of the Championship, with Kathryn Dane partnering her in the half-backs.
Hogan is the only change in the pack at openside flanker, where she will line up next to Dorothy Wall and captain Ciara Griffin.
Lindsay Peat, Cliodhna Moloney and Linda Djougang will start the game up front, with Aoife McDermott and Nichola Fryday retained in the second row.
On the bench, uncapped Grace Moore could make her international debut, while Neve Jones and Leah Lyons will provide the front row cover with Laura Feely.
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Hannah O’Connor and Emily Lane will also be available as replacements, as well as Hannah Tyrrell and Enya Breen.
Head coach Griggs said: “This week our focus has been on us and the quality of performance we know we can deliver.
“We learned some valuable lessons last weekend and we now have the opportunity to rectify some of the areas that we need to show more accuracy, and we want to finish this competition strongly which we are extremely excited about.”
Ireland team
15. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster)(17 caps) 14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)(1) 13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)(2) 12. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)(40) 11. Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht)(10) 10. Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)(2) 9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)(12)
1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)(33) 2. Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(25) 3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(11) 4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)(15) 5. Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)(17) 6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/ Munster)(6) 7. Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster)(3) 8. Ciara Griffin (Captain)(UL Bohemian/Munster)(35)
Replacements:
16. Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)(2) 17. Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)(18) 18. Leah Lyons (Harlequins/IQ Rugby)(25) 19. Grace Moore (Railway Union/IQ Rugby)* 20. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)(4) 21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster)(2) 22. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(19) 23. Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/Munster)(5)
