Three new faces for English test

IRELAND women’s coach Philip Doyle has brought in three players for his side’s final game of this year’s against England (Ashbourne RFC, Friday, 7.30pm).

Ailis Egan makes her first start of the season coming in at prop with Lauren Day reverting to the bench. Laura Guest moves to the back row with Heather O’Brien starting alongside Marie Louise Reilly in the second row. Larissa Muldoon makes her first start having impressed off the bench in recent outings.

England are on the verge of a record sixth successive title, and are in ominous form having seen off Scotland 89-0 last weekend.

Ireland women v England: N Briggs (UL Bohemian); N Kavanagh (UL Bohemian), L Cantwell (Richmond), G Rea (Highfield), M Kelly (UL Bohemian); N Stapleton (Old Belvedere), L Muldoon (UWIC); F Coghlan (UL Bohemian, capt), G Bourke (Bristol), A Egan (Old Belvedere;, H O’Brien (Highfield), ML Reilly (Old Belvedere); L Guest (Highfield), C Molloy (Bristol), J Neville (UL Bohemian).

Replacements: S Kennedy (City of Derry), L Day (Waterloo), D O’Brien (Blackrock), C Staunton (Galwegians), A Davis (Blackrock), G Nolan (St Mary’s), J Shiels (Richmond).