With four of their last five TikTok Women’s Six Nations meetings decided by seven points or less, Ireland and Scotland are set for another hotly-contested encounter as they bring the curtain down on the 2023 Championship.
2023 TIKTOK WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP:
Saturday, April 29 –
SCOTLAND WOMEN (4th) v IRELAND WOMEN (6th), DAM Health Stadium, 7.30pm (live Virgin Media Two/BBC Scotland/BBC iPlayer/RTÉ Radio 1 & Radio 1 Extra)
Team News: Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has selected an unchanged starting XV for the Round 5 encounter at DAM Health Stadium as Ireland bid to finish the 2023 Championship on a high in Edinburgh.
The fit-again Dorothy Wall is recalled to the Match Day Squad as she and Ailsa Hughes are named on the replacements bench in the only two changes in personnel from last weekend’s defeat to England in Cork.
Lauren Delany, Aoife Doyle and Natasja Behan are retained in the unchanged back three, with Vicky Irwin and Aoife Dalton making up the midfield partnership. Molly Scuffil-McCabe continues alongside her Leinster team-mate Dannah O’Brien in the half-backs.
The front row of Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney start together for the fourth consecutive match, with captain Nichola Fryday and Sam Monaghan an ever-present in the engine room. Brittany Hogan starts against blindside flanker, with Grace Moore continuing at openside and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird at number eight.
On the replacements bench, Clara Nielson, Sadhbh McGrath, Kathryn Buggy, Hannah O’Connor and Wall provide the reinforcements up front, with Hughes, Anna McGann and Méabh Deely completing the Match Day 23.
Commenting ahead of the game, McWilliams said: “It has been a challenging Championship but we have learned a huge amount throughout the course of the campaign, and we have seen improvements week-on-week. The focus now is to put all those learnings to the test and produce our best performance of the season in Edinburgh.
“The group is hugely motivated to finish the Six Nations with a positive performance and result, but we know it will be a huge challenge against a very talented Scotland side who are really building under Bryan Easson. We’re looking forward to a big occasion with a record crowd expected in Edinburgh on Saturday night.”
Meanwhile, Scotland boss Bryan Easson has selected a settled side to face Ireland as they look to avenge last season’s last-gasp 15-14 defeat at the hands of Ireland.
Having recorded an impressive 29-21 bonus point victory over Italy last weekend, Scotland go into this ‘Super Saturday’ fixture with only one change to their starting XV.
Heriot’s centre Emma Orr returns to her midfield berth, having progressed through the return-to-play protocols after sustaining a concussion during the game against France.
Ticket sales for Scotland’s final outing of the Championship have already surpassed the previous record crowd of 3,988 for the match against England at DAM Health Stadium in 2022, with over 4,000 tickets sold for this weekend’s encounter with Ireland.
TikTok Women’s Six Nations Results/Fixtures
TikTok Women’s Six Nations Table
SCOTLAND WOMEN: Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning); Coreen Grant (Saracens), Emma Orr (Heriot’s), Meryl Smith (University of Edinburgh), Francesca McGhie (Watsonians); Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Jade Konkel-Roberts (Harlequins), Louise McMillan (Saracens), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning) (capt), Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks), Evie Gallagher (Worcester Warriors).
Replacements: Jodie Rettie (Saracens), Anne Young (Sale Sharks), Elliann Clarke (University of Edinburgh), Eva Donaldson (University of Edinburgh), Eilidh Sinclair (Exeter Chiefs), Caity Mattinson (Worcester Warriors), Beth Blacklock (Harlequins), Liz Musgrove (Wasps).
IRELAND WOMEN: Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster).
Replacements: Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster), Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht).
Referee: Sara Cox (England)
Assistant Referees: Clara Munarini (Italy), Katherine Ritchie (England)
Television Match Official: Matteo Liperini (Italy)
Watch
The game is live on Virgin Media Two in the Republic of Ireland, while viewers in Northern Ireland/the UK can watch it live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Scotland.
Pre-Match Quotes – Nichola Fryday (Ireland Women): “We know what’s riding on this weekend, but we haven’t let it overshadow this match for us. We’ve made sure we’re prepping as best as we can to put our best foot forward.
“We know it’s going to be a huge task for us. Scotland are coming off the back of a really good win last weekend, so we’re under no illusions about how tough this test will be, but we’re relishing the thought of it.
“Week on week, we’ve shown that we’ve improved in certain areas. I think it’s starting to come together more on the pitch for us, definitely this week, so we’re hoping we can show that tomorrow now.”
Bryan Easson (Scotland Women): “We’ve went for consistency this week in terms of team selection and after last weekend’s win against Italy, the players deserve the chance to build on that performance.
“Lisa Thomson has returned to the GB Sevens programme ahead of the event in Toulouse, but it’s brilliant to see Emma Orr returning for the finale.
“We know Ireland will throw everything at us, but we know what to expect and will be ready for the challenge. We’ve focussed on ourselves this week and if we get our processes right, the outcome will take care of itself.
“Support at DAM Health Stadium was incredible for the team last weekend. The players have talked of the noise and the energy that the crowd brings, and it will be brilliant to see the squad run out to a record-breaking crowd for the final match of the tournament.”
Opta Facts – Scotland Women v Ireland Women:
– Ireland have won 14 of their last 15 matches against Scotland in the TikTok Women’s Six Nations (L1), including each of their last three
– Ireland have not lost away to Scotland since 2005 (15-5). Four of the last five Championship games between Scotland and Ireland have been decided by margins of just seven points or fewer
– Scotland won their most recent match in the Women’s Six Nations (29-21 against Italy) by a margin of eight points after losing eight in a row previously
– It was their biggest win in the Championship since 2007 (26-6 against Italy), however, they have not won consecutive games since 2006 (against Ireland and Spain)
– Scotland have won just one of their 14 Women’s Six Nations round 5 matches since Italy joined the Championship in 2007 (L13). Their only win during that period came the last time they concluded a campaign at home (14-12 against Italy in 2017)
– Ireland have lost all four of their games in this year’s Women’s Six Nations, but have not lost all five in single edition of the competition since 2004. They won their final match in last year’s Championship (15-14 against Scotland)
Recent Meetings –
2020: Women’s Six Nations: Ireland Women 18 Scotland Women 14, Energia Park
2021: Women’s Rugby World Cup Qualifier: Ireland Women 18 Scotland Women 20, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
2022: TikTok Women’s Six Nations: Ireland Women 15 Scotland Women 14, Kingspan Stadium
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Source: Irish Rugby