Ireland Women’s Team Named For World Cup Opener

Ten Munster players have been named in the match day 22 for Ireland’s opening game of the Women’s Rugby World Cup with seven named in the starting XV.

In the backline Ireland's most capped player Lynne Cantwell makes a welcome return to the centre after a year out playing in New Zealand and Highfield's Helen Brosnan will call the shots at outhalf, with Clonmel's Niamh Briggs named at fullback. Earlier in the week the IRB highlighted Briggs as one of the "players to watch" in this tournament.

Munster's Gillian Bourke and Louise Austin are named in the front row with Kate O'Loughlin partnering Leinster's Marie Louise Reilly in the second row and the influential Joy Neville is named at number 8.

UL Bohemian's Louise Beamish and Mairead Kelly and Highfield's Laura Guest are named in the replacements.

Ireland Women’s Team to play England:
15 – Niamh Briggs (Clonmel/ Munster)
14 – Amy Davis (Blackrock/ Leinster)
13 – Joanne O'Sullivan (Richmond/ Exile)
12 – Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
11 – Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)
10 – Helen Brosnan (Highfield/Munster)
9 – Tania Rosser (Blackrock/ Leinster)
1 – Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/ Leinster)
2 – Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/ Munster)
3 – Louise Austin (UL Bohemians/ Munster)
4 – Kate O’Loughlin (Clonmel/ Munster)
5 – Marie Louise Reilly (Navan/ Leinster)
6 – Orla Brennan (Blackrock/ Leinster)
7 – Claire Molloy (Bristol/ Connacht)
8 – Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/ Munster)

Replacments:
16 – Yvonne Nolan (Blackrock/ Leinster)
17 – Laura Guest (Highfield/ Munster)
18 – Carol Staunton (Galwegians/ Connacht)
19 – Sinead Ryan (Blackrock/ Leinster)
20 – Louise Beamish (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
21 – Shannon Houston (Blackrock/ Leinster)
22 – Mairead Kelly (UL Bohemians/ Munster)

Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup Fixtures:
England Women V Ireland Women, Surrey, Friday August 20th, 18:30 (Sky Sports 2)
USA Women V Ireland Women, Surrey, Tuesday, August 24th, 16:30
Ireland Women V Kazakhstan, Surrey, Saturday, August 28th, 16:30