Wafer absent as Bemand names Ireland side for Scotland clash

Bemand has included two uncapped players in his squad, as Munster’s Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy - daughter of former international Peter - are in line for their Ireland debuts.

Aoife Wafer of Ireland on her way to scoring a try. Pic: Kian Abdullah/Sportsfile

Ireland boss Scott Bemand has named his starting 15 for Saturday’s final Women’s Six Nations clash against Scotland in Edinburgh (Kick-off, 2.30pm).

Following last weekend’s win over Wales in Newport, Ireland travel to the Hive Stadium in Round 5.

Aoife Wafer was ruled out of selection this week due to a knee injury picked up during last weekend’s win at Rodney Parade.

Bemand has included two uncapped players in his squad, as Munster’s Aoife Corey and Jane Clohessy are in line for their Ireland debuts.

Corey is named to start at full-back having been called into the squad on the back of impressive performances for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge, while second row Clohessy – the daughter of former Ireland international Peter – also earns her opportunity in green as she’s named among the replacements.

Corey starts in a back-three alongside Amee-Leigh Costigan and Vicky Elmes Kinlan, who is set for her first Women’s Six Nations start, having come off the bench in the last two outings against England and Wales.

It is an unchanged midfield pairing for Round 5 as Enya Breen and Aoife Dalton continue at inside and outside centre respectively, while Dannah O’Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe are retained in the half-backs.

In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd returns to fitness to start in the front-row alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang, while Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite are in the engine room, allowing Dorothy Wall to shift to blindside flanker in a back row alongside captain McMahon and number eight Brittany Hogan.

On the bench, Cliodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, the uncapped Clohessy and Claire Boles provide the forward reinforcements, with backs Emily Lane, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood completing the Ireland 23.

Ireland: A Corey; V Elmes Kinlan, A Dalton, E Breen, A-L Costigan; D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe; N O’Dowd, N Jones, L Djougang; R Campbell, F Tuite; D Wall, E McMahon, B Hogan. 

Replacements: C Moloney, S McGrath, C Haney, J Clohessy, C Boles, E Lane, E Higgins, S Flood.