Ireland Squad Named For World Cup Semi Final

The Ireland Women’s squad has been named to face England in the semi final of the World Cup kicking off tomorrow, 13th August, in Stade Jean Bouin, Paris at 5pm (Irish time).

Head coach Philip Doyle has named the same squad that overcame New Zealand in round 2 of the pool stages, reversing the 10 personnel changes he made for the Kazakhstan game last time out which includes six Munster players.

Full back Niamh Briggs, Ireland's top scorer with 25 points, makes up the back-three along with wingers Ashleigh Baxter and Alison Miller.

Grace Davitt and Lynne Cantwell continue in the centre for their fourth start together of the tournament, with Nora Stapleton and Tania Rosser named as the half-backs.

Captain Fiona Coghlan is joined by Munster hooker Gillian Bourke and Ailis Egan in a settled front row combination, while Sophie Spence and Marie Louise Reilly also reunite in the second row.

Paula Fitzpatrick, who turns 29 today, Claire Molloy and Munster Captain, number 8 Heather O'Brien, who has recovered from her finger injury, feature in a combative back row.

Munster prop Fiona Hayes and Munster back-rows Siobhán Fleming and Laura Guest have been named in the replacements.

Ireland first featured in the World Cup stage in 1994 and have never finished higher than 7th place in the tournament.

Seeded 2nd in the world, England have been in five finals since the inaugural competition in 1991 and claimed victory in 1994 beating USA 38-23 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

In 2013 Ireland beat England for the first time in their history and that year went on to claim the Six Nations Grand Slam title.

They last played England last March in this year’s Six Nations where they narrowly lost out by a 17-10 margin in Twickenham.

After wins against the USA, New Zealand and Kazakhstan in Pool B, Ireland have qualified for the Women’s Rugby World Cup semi-final for the first time ever.

The third match result against Kazakhstan guaranteed the women in green their best ever World Cup finish, coming only days after defeating New Zealand in a historic and first-ever 17-14 win by a senior Irish international rugby team over an All-Black side.

England’s draw with Canada last Sunday eliminated the defending champions New Zealand from the tournament.

Canada meet hosts France in the second semi final following the Ireland v England fixture tomorrow at 7.45pm to determine the World Cup 2014 finalists.

TG4 has confirmed it will televise live coverage of both semi finals. Rugbaí Beo coverage begins at 4:30pm and will include analysis from former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Louise Beamish.

The match will also be televised live on TG4 and Sky Sports 4.

To tweet your message of support for the Ireland Women you can use the hashtag #shouldertoshoulder

Ireland Women: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster); Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O'Brien (Highfield/Munster). Replacements: Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile),

England Women: Danielle Waterman; Katherine Merchant, Emily Scarratt, Rachael Burford, Kay Wilson; Katy Mclean (Capt.) , La Toya Mason; Rochelle Clark, Victoria Fleetwood, Sophie Hemming; Tamara Taylor, Joanna McGilchrist; Alexandra Matthews, Margaret Alphonsi, Sarah Hunter: Replacements: Emma Croker, Laura Keates, Rebecca Essex, Marlie Packer, Natasha Hunt, Ceri Large, Claire Allan.