Bemand has made three changes to the starting XV for the visit of Scotland, as co-captain Sam Monaghan (pictured) returns to the second row, Enya Breen is named at centre, and Méabh Deely starts at fullback.Uncapped back Katie Heffernan is in line to earn her first Ireland Test cap as she is named among the replacements.
Heffernan, who impressed for the Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge, has been an ever-present for the Ireland Women’s Sevens on the HSBC SVNS Series in recent years. Following the record attendance at the RDS and Cork, with over 6,600 tickets already sold another large crowd is expected in Belfast.
The starting front row remains the same with Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney packing down. Dorothy Wall partners Monaghan in the engine room, with Aoife Wafer at blindslide flanker, co-captain Edel McMahon at openside and Brittany Hogan at number eight.Aoibheann Reilly and Dannah O’Brien once again make up the half-back pairing.
Breen joins Eve Higgins in the Ireland midfield and Deely comes into the back three alongside wingers Béibhinn Parsons and Katie Corrigan.Clíodhna Moloney, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite and Shannon Ikahihifo provide the replacements up front, with Aoife Dalton, Molly Scuffil-McCabe and the uncapped Heffernan completing the matchday squad.
Ireland team to face Scotland
15. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); 14. Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster); 13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC), 12. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster); 11. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); 10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), 9. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); 1. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), 2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), 3. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); 4. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), 5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury) Co-Captain; 6. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), 7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) Co-Captain, 8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)
Replacements
16. Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), 17. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), 18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster), 19. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), 20. Shannon Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), 21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster), 22. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), 23. Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC/Leinster, uncapped)
