Bemand explores depth chart in matchday squad for Walaroos test 

Edel McMahon captains the side from the back row, as head coach Bemand includes four uncapped players in his 23 for the visit of the Wallaroos to Belfast.

Ireland's  Edel McMahon. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has named his starting 15 for Saturday's 150th anniversary Test against Australia at Kingspan Stadium (kick-off 2.30pm).

Edel McMahon captains the side from the back row, as Bemand includes four uncapped players in his 23 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.

21-year-old Elmes Kinlan 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 form 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 23.

Ireland (v Walaroos): E. Considine, V. Elmes Kinlan, A. Dalton, E. Breen, A. Murphy Crowe, D. O'Brien, M. Scuffil-McCabe, N. O'Dowd, N. Jones, L. Djougang, D. Wall, R. Campbell, A. Wafer, E. McMahon (captain), B. Hogan. 

Replacements: C. Moloney, S. McCarthy, C. Haney, F. Tuite, E. King, E. Lane, E. Higgins, S. Flood.