6 Nations
McWilliams Names Ireland Team For Second Test Against Japan
Head Coach Greg McWilliams has named his Ireland team, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s second Test against Japan at Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium in Tokyo (kick-off 7pm local time/11am Irish time, live on TG4).
Six uncapped players impressed during last weekend’s memorable first Test win in Shizuoka, and with a number of players unavailable this week through injury, McWilliams and the Ireland coaching team have another opportunity to test squad depth and build further Test match experience within the group.
Related News: Japan Tour Diary
There are three changes in personnel to the Ireland starting team from the nine-try victory at Ecopa Stadium, with Dorothy Wall and Sam Monaghan unavailable for selection due to injury, while Christy Haney and Nicole Cronin, who both came off the bench last week, are also ruled out.
Back row Jo Brown has been named to make her debut against the Sakura Fifteen, while Jess Keating and Emma Tilly are in line to win their first caps off the bench.
McWilliams has named an unchanged backline for Saturday’s clash against Lesley McKenzie’s side, with Méabh Deely, Natasja Behan and Aoife Doyle continuing in the back three. Aoife Dalton, who marked her debut with a try last week, partners Enya Breen in midfield and Dannah O’Brien and Ailsa Hughes are the half backs.
In the pack, Laura Feely starts at loosehead, Neve Jones is at hooker and Linda Djougang is at tighthead. Monaghan’s absence means Hannah O’Connor switches from the back row to the second row, where she partners captain Nichola Fryday.
Brown starts at blindside flanker, Edel McMahon continues at openside and Grace Moore makes her first Ireland start at number eight.
On the bench, Emma Hooban, Chloe Pearse and Katie O’Dwyer provide the front row reinforcements, with Taryn Schutzler and the uncapped Keating, who has been playing in America with Life University, completing the forward options available to McWilliams.
Aoife Dalton scores a try on her Ireland debut
Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Leah Tarpey and Tilly, a member of the Women’s National Talent Squad (WNTS), complete the Ireland 23.
Commenting ahead of the game, McWilliams said: “We were really pleased with last weekend’s victory and it was a reward for the hard work the whole group have put in over the course of the summer programme, but the focus for us has been on improving, growing and being better on Saturday.
“This week has been a test of our resilience as there is no doubt the first Test took a huge amount out of the group, and as we go on this journey together we’ll learn a lot about the demands of Test match rugby. We’ve already grown hugely over the course of this Tour and we’re excited about the team selected for this weekend.
“It is a great chance for us to explore our depth further and give players the opportunity they deserve for their hard work and commitment and I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform in the green jersey.”
Saturday’s match is live on TG4 from 10.40am Irish time, while there will be extensive match day coverage on IrishRugby.ie and across Irish Rugby social media channels.
IRELAND WOMEN’S Team & Replacements (v Japan Women, 2022 Summer Tour Second Test, Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, Tokyo, Saturday, August 27, kick-off 7pm local time/11am Irish time):
Player/Club/Province/Caps –
15. Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(1)
14. Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(1)
13. Aoife Dalton (Tullamore RFC/Leinster)(1)
12. Enya Breen (TBC/Munster)(15)
11. Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(11)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Tullow RFC/Leinster)(1)
9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(15)
1. Laura Feely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(23)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster)(12)
3. Linda Djougang (TBC/Leinster)(23)
4. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(13)
5. Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt)(28)
6. Jo Brown (Worcester Warriors/IQ Rugby)*
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)(20)
8. Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby)(4)
Replacements:
16. Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(12)
17. Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(6)
18. Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(11)
19. Taryn Schutzler (Saracens/Ulster)(1)
20. Jess Keating (Life University/Leinster)*
21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(3)
22. Leah Tarpey (Tullamore RFC/Leinster)(1)
23. Emma Tilly (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster)*
* Denotes uncapped player
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Munster Rugby and the IRFU are pleased to confirm contract extensions for Conor Murray and Jack Daly with Brian Gleeson to be promoted from the Academy to the senior squad next season.
Murray and Daly have signed one-year extensions with Gleeson moving up to the senior squad on a two-year deal.
Gleeson is one of five Academy players moving up to the senior squad next year with Tony Butler, Ethan Coughlan, Mark Donnelly and Edwin Edogbo also signing two-year deals.
Conor Murray is one of the most decorated scrum-halfs in world rugby with 116 Ireland caps and three British & Irish Lions tours to his name.
A former St Munchin’s College student, the Garryowen man won his fifth 6 Nations title with Ireland last month and earned his second league title with Munster last season.
The 34-year-old has made 185 Munster appearances and scored 34 tries for the province to date and was named on World Rugby’s Team of the Decade in 2019.
25-year-old flanker Jack Daly came up through the ranks at Castleisland RFC and made his Munster debut against Zebre in 2020.
Daly joined the Academy in 2018, moved up to the senior squad in 2021 and plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen. A former Ireland U20 international, he made his Champions Cup debut against Toulouse in the quarter-final at the Aviva Stadium in 2022.
Try-scoring number 8 Brian Gleeson leads the charge for the Ireland Under-20s against France ©INPHO/Evan Treacy
20-year-old Gleeson moves up to the senior squad after just one year in the Academy that has seen him score one try in nine senior appearances.
Currently out of action with an ankle injury, he had already made three Champions Cup appearances before turning 20.
The powerful back-row forward was a Grand Slam winner with the Ireland U20s last year. plays his AIL rugby with Garryowen and came up through the ranks at Thurles RFC and Rockwell College.
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against Scotland at Aviva Stadium (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Ireland – currently sitting top of the Six Nations table heading into Super Saturday – can clinch back-to-back Championship titles with victory over Scotland in Dublin.
Farrell has named an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 clash, as Hugo Keenan, Calvin Nash and James Lowe continue in the Ireland back three. Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki are once again selected in midfield, with Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park the starting half-backs.
Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong pack down in the front row, with Joe McCarthy partnering Tadhg Beirne – who is set to win his 50th Test cap for Ireland – in the engine room.
Captain Peter O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have opted for a 5-3 split on the bench, with Rónan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan providing the reinforcements up front, and Conor Murray, Harry Byrne and the fit-again Garry Ringrose the backline options.
Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media One and ITV, with live radio coverage available on RTE Radio 1.
Ireland Team & Replacements (v Scotland, Guinness Men’s Six Nations, Saturday, March 16, 4.45pm)
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(39)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(5)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(71)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(55)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(30)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(13)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(34)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(63)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(25)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(75)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(9)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(49)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(104)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(61)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(40)
Replacements:
16. Rónan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(30)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(128)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(39)
19. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(19)
20. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(45)
21. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(115)
22. Harry Byrne (UCD/Leinster)(3)
23. Garry Ringrose (UCD/Leinster)(57).
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
Head Coach Andy Farrell has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Saturday’s Guinness Men’s Six Nations clash against England at Twickenham (Kick-off 4.45pm).
Peter O’Mahony captains Ireland for the Round 4 visit to London, with Hugo Keenan returning to the starting XV after recovering from injury.
Keenan joins Calvin Nash and James Lowe in the Ireland back three, with Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw continuing their midfield partnership.
Jack Crowley and Jamison Gibson-Park are retained as the half-back pairing.
In the pack, Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong are in the front row, with Joe McCarthy and Tadhg Beirne named in the engine room. Captain O’Mahony is at blindside flanker, Josh van der Flier is at openside and Caelan Doris completes the starting XV at number eight.
The Ireland Coaching Team have selected a 6-2 split on the bench, as Ronan Kelleher, Cian Healy, Finlay Bealham, Iain Henderson, Ryan Baird and Jack Conan provide the reinforcements in the pack.
Backs Conor Murray and Ciaran Frawley complete Ireland’s Match Day 23 to face England.
Saturday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and ITV.
Ireland:
15. Hugo Keenan (UCD/Leinster)(38)
14. Calvin Nash (Young Munster/Munster)(4)
13. Robbie Henshaw (Buccaneers/Leinster)(70)
12. Bundee Aki (Galwegians/Connacht)(54)
11. James Lowe (Leinster)(29)
10. Jack Crowley (Cork Constitution/Munster)(12)
9. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)(33)
1. Andrew Porter (UCD/Leinster)(62)
2. Dan Sheehan (Lansdowne/Leinster)(24)
3. Tadhg Furlong (Clontarf/Leinster)(74)
4. Joe McCarthy (Dublin University/Leinster)(8)
5. Tadhg Beirne (Lansdowne/Munster)(48)
6. Peter O’Mahony (Cork Constitution/Munster)(captain)(103)
7. Josh van der Flier (UCD/Leinster)(60)
8. Caelan Doris (St Mary’s College/Leinster)(39)
Replacements:
16. Ronan Kelleher (Lansdowne/Leinster)(29)
17. Cian Healy (Clontarf/Leinster)(127)
18. Finlay Bealham (Buccaneers/Connacht)(38)
19. Iain Henderson (Academy/Ulster)(80)
20. Ryan Baird (Dublin University/Leinster)(18)
21. Jack Conan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(44)
22. Conor Murray (Garryowen/Munster)(114)
23. Ciaran Frawley (UCD/Leinster)(3)
Images & Content from Irish Rugby & Images © Inpho Photography
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