Ireland swap locks in only change to take on France in Clermont

Ireland Women’s head coach Scott Bemand has made only one change to his starting side to take on France in the Women’s Six Nations this weekend.

Dorothy Wall returns to the second row to partner Fiona Tuite, with Ruth Campbell dropping to the bench as a result.

Ireland’s only other change to their matchday 23 comes in the 18 jersey, with Eilís Cahill back into the matchday squad replacing Sadhbh McGrath after missing the win over Italy.

Otherwise Ireland have named an unchanged backline, with Stacey Flood, Béibhinn Parsons and last week’s debutant Robyn O’Connor continuing in the back three.

In the pack, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang are named as Ireland’s starting front row for the third successive match.

Tickets for Ireland’s final game of the Women’s Six Nations against Scotland have now passed the 20,000 mark, for what is set to be a record crowd in Ireland’s first-ever standalone fixture at the Dublin venue.

As for France, Stacey Flood, Ireland’s full-back, told The Irish Times this week that Ireland’s opponents should be ‘worried’ as Ireland head to Clermont looking for revenge from last year’s lively Rugby World Cup quarter-final between the sides, won by France 18-13.

“I’d be worried if I was them,” she said. “I think they always respected us. If I was them, I’d respect us a little bit more as well, watching the sort of game we’re putting out there.

“It’s not just forwards, it’s not just backs, it’s a mixture and it makes it harder to defend against.

“Knowing we’re a green wall going out there, we can back each other up and be connected. Hopefully we can find ways into the game and not give them too many ins.

“We should have confidence going into this game. Third time lucky, but we’re making our own luck this weekend because we should have had them in the Six Nations last year, could have had them in the World Cup.

“It’s about knowing what we can do and being brave and confident, knowing we’ve grown from this time last year and from the World Cup, to hopefully finish off a game with a win.”

Ireland squad v France

15 Stacey Flood (26 caps)
14 Béibhinn Parsons (33 caps)
13 Aoife Dalton (30 caps)
12 Nancy McGillivray (five caps)
11 Robyn O’Connor (one cap)
10 Dannah O’Brien (32 caps)
9 Emily Lane (22 caps)
1 Ellena Perry (six caps)
2 Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (51 caps)
3 Linda Djougang (54 caps)
4 Dorothy Wall (39 caps)
5 Fiona Tuite (22 caps)
6 Brittany Hogan (40 caps)
7 Erin King (Captain, seven caps)
8 Aoife Wafer (18 caps)

Replacements:
16 Neve Jones (43 caps)
17 Niamh O’Dowd (22 caps)
18 Eilís Cahill (two caps)
19 Ruth Campbell (14 caps)
20 Sam Monaghan (28 caps)
21 Katie Whelan (two caps)
22 Eve Higgins (34 caps)
23 Anna McGann (16 caps)