Corrigan handed debut for Six Nations opener with France

Leinster winger Katie Corrigan one of six changes for the Stade Marie-Marvingt clash with France

Katie Corrigan at Ireland Women's Rugby at IRFU High Performance Centre, Sport Ireland Campus, Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has handed a debut to teenage wing Katie Corrigan for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener against France in Le Mans on Saturday.

Corrigan, 19, is one of six changes for the Stade Marie-Marvingt clash from the Ireland side that beat Spain 15-13 to win the WXV3 in Dubai last October with the Leinster winger having staked her claim with a strong showing in the Celtic Challenge competition earlier this year.

She joins full-back Lauren Delany and left wing Beibhinn Parsons in the back three of a side captained by openside flanker Edel McMahon, in the absence of fellow co-captain and lock Sam Monaghan, who has been ruled out as she continues her return to play protocols.

Hannah O’Connor comes in for Monaghan to partner Dorothy Wall in the second row behind an unchanged front row of loosehead prop Linda Djougang, hooker Neve Jones and tighthead Christy Haney while McMahon forms the back row with Aoife Wafer on the blindside and Brittany Hogan at No.8.

Bemand has handed the fly-half berth to Connacht’s Nicole Fowley following her Test comeback at the WVX3 series against Kazakhstan. Saturday’s game will mark her first Six Nations appearance since 2019 in partnership with provincial half-back partner Aoibhean Reilly at scrum-half as Ireland seek to rebound from last season’s winless wooden spoon under former management.

“We are all very excited to get our Guinness Women’s Six Nations campaign underway and we come into this weekend ready to put a confident performance out there,” Bemand said.

“We have had a good block of preparation with players returning and we are ready to compete. I’m looking forward to seeing all the hard work come together on Saturday and what a place to kick start our Six Nations, in Stade Marie-Marvingt.”

IRELAND WOMEN (v France): L Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby); K Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), E Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), A Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), B Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht); N Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht), A Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht); L Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), N Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), C Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster); D Wall (Blackrock College/Munster), H O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster); A Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster), E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) – co-captain), B Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster)

Replacements: S Delaney (Blackrock College/Leinster), N O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), S McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), F Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster), G Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), M Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union/Leinster), D O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), M Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht)