Co-captain Edel McMahon returns as Ireland name team for Japan

Edel McMahon will complete an important return from injury this weekend, with coach Scott Bemand selecting the openside flanker as a co-captain along with Sam Monaghan ahead of Saturday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup clash with Japan.

McMahon missed both of Ireland’s two World Cup warm-up fixtures in August with a concerning knee injury, but the backrower did enough to make the 32-player squad – with 2025 Six Nations Player of the Championship Aoife Wafer also earning selection.

While Wafer has not been named in Ireland’s matchday side to take on Japan this weekend at Franklin’s Gardens, the inclusion of 32-Test veteran McMahon is a significant talking point in a tough pool that also features Spain and New Zealand.

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe – The Threads That Bind Us

Emotive new short film features Woodman-Wickliffe’s Mount Albert Grammar School pupils speaking about the New Zealand rugby legend ahead of kick-off at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe – The Threads That Bind Us

Emotive new short film features Woodman-Wickliffe’s Mount Albert Grammar School pupils speaking about the New Zealand rugby legend ahead of kick-off at the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025.

McMahon joins Fiona Tuite and Brittany Hogan in the backrow, while co-captain Monaghan joins Ruth Campbell as the second row pairing. Niamh O’Dowd will pack down alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang up front – this will be the tighthead’s 49^th Test appearance for Ireland.

The backline features Aoibheann Reilly and Dannah O’Brien in the halves, with Eve Higgisn linking up with Aoife Dalton in the midfield. Amee-Legh Costigan and Beibhinn Parsons are the two starting wingers, and Stacey Flood rounds out the starting side at fullback.

45-Test veteran Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, 22-Test enforcer Grace Moore, and 31-Test centre Enya Breen are among those named on the bench.

“Japan are so diligent,” Stacey Flood told reporters this week.

“They might not be the biggest team, but they’re so skilful and their kicks are on a T, their passes are on a T, they’re really good jackal threats and I think we know what they’re good at, but it’s also just about bringing back to our squad and what our strengths are and not playing too much to the opposition.

“When you start changing for other people, you go away from your own game. We’re happy with where our game is and we know what we’re good at.

“I feel having eyes on women’s rugby and our team is never going to be a bad thing because we want the Irish people behind us. We want to have the support of everyone,” she added.

If that’s us going out and getting a good performance or not, we still want support from the people back home because our green wave isn’t about whether you’re doing well or whether you’re doing bad.

“This is going to be such a major pedestal for women’s rugby and I think this is going to change the game, this whole tournament, and I think it’s really important to get eyes on that. The fact we’re on the same time zone, we’re a 45-minute flight away.”

Ireland team to take on Japan at Women’s Rugby World Cup

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(20)

14. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(28)

13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(24)

12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(28)

11. Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(19)

10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(26)

9. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(16)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(17)

2. Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury)(37)

3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(48)

4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(8)

5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(23)(co-captain)

6. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(17)

7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(34)(co-captain)

8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(34)

Replacements

16. Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(45)

17. Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(1)

18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(16)

19. Eimear Corri-Fallon (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(6)

20. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(22)

21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(17)

22. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(31)

23. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(11).