Six Munster Players Named In Bemand’s Squad For Wallaroos Test

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named his Ireland Match Day Squad, sponsored by Aon, for Saturday’s 150th Anniversary Test against Australia at Kingspan Stadium (Kick-off 2.30pm).

Edel McMahon will captain Ireland from the back row, as Bemand includes four uncapped players in his Match Day Squad for the visit of the Wallaroos to Belfast.

Ireland Sevens international Vicky Elmes Kinlan will make her Test debut on the left wing, Ruth Campbell is selected to start for her first cap in the second row, while uncapped forwards Siobhán McCarthy and Erin King – who alongside Elmes Kinlan became an Olympian at Paris 2024 – are named on the bench.

As well as kicking off Irish Rugby’s 150th Year Celebrations, Saturday’s Test serves as invaluable preparation for Ireland’s WXV1 debut later this Autumn, providing Bemand and his Coaching Team with an opportunity to explore squad depth and build cohesion at the start of the 2024/25 campaign.

A number of players have been rewarded for their performances during the recent Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship and for their application during the last two weeks of National Team camp at the IRFU High Performance, including Elmes Kinlan who was originally called up to the squad as a training panellist.

The 21-year-old starts in the Ireland back three alongside Eimear Considine at full-back and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe on the right wing, who both return to the Test arena in green for the first time since 2022.

Aoife Dalton and Enya Breen are a familiar midfield pairing for Ireland, with Molly Scuffil-McCabe and Dannah O’Brien making up the half-back pairing.

In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd earns her first start at loosehead prop, joining Neve Jones and Linda Djougang in the front row.

Dorothy Wall partners debutant Campbell in the engine room, with Aoife Wafer, captain McMahon and Brittany Hogan forming the back row.

Bemand has strong options on the bench, with Clíodhna Moloney, Christy Haney and Fiona Tuite joining the uncapped duo of McCarthy and King as the forward replacements.

Backs Emily Lane, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood, all of whom were part of the Ireland Women’s Sevens squad at the Olympics, complete the Match Day 23.

To celebrate Irish Rugby’s 150th Anniversary, Ireland will wear a specially produced one-off jersey, in association with Canterbury, which will be launched on Friday morning.

Saturday’s match is live on TG4 and TG4.ie, while tickets can be purchased here.

Ireland v Wallaroos:

15. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(26)
14. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)*
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(14)
12. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(21)
11. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(9)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(15)
9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster)(16)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(7)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(26)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(37)
4. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(28)
5. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
6. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(7)
7. Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(captain)(28)
8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(23)

Replacements:

16. Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(34)
17. Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster)*
18. Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(18)
19. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(6)
20. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)*
21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(6)
22. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(17)
23. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(10)