Six Nations: Ireland vs Italy, Sunday April 10th, Musgrave Park (5pm kick-off, live on RTÉ 2).
Greg McWilliams has opted for six changes to his starting XV ahead of the Six Nations visit of Italy to Musgrave Park on Sunday afternoon.
Beibhinn Parsons returns to the backthree, meaning Lucy Mulhall switches to fullback as Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe continues on the right flank. Eimear Considine drops out of the matchday 23.
Elsewhere, Aoibheann Reilly is replaced by Kathryn Dane at scrumhalf while Hannah O'Connor is also promoted to the starting side at number eight. Dorothy Wall and Edel McMahon keep their spots in the backrow alongside her.
After the scrum struggles in a defeat to France last time out, how tighthead Christy Haney fares on her first international start will be of great interest.
Blackrock's Aoife Wafer is set for a debut on the bench on the same weekend that her sister is with the Ireland U-18s squad in Scotland.
Railway forward Anna McGann drops out of the matchday squad.
Both sides head into Sunday’s clash looking for their first win of the tournament. It is the firs women’s international to be played at Musgrave Park.
Ireland: Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC/Leinster); Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster); Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby); Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Hannah O'Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Katie O'Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster).
