Ireland v Australia, Saturday 2.30pm, Kingspan Stadium
Ireland Women take on Australia Women as the IRFU kicks off its 150th anniversary celebrations.
The game serves as a warm-up for the upcoming WXV1 series in which Scott Bemand’s charges face New Zealand, USA and Canada in Vancouver in late September and October.
Here’s all you need to know.
RADIO
Live commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1 with Michael Corcoran and Tania Rosser.
ONLINE
Follow our live match tracker on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app.
TV
The game is live on TG4.
WEATHER
Light rain, moderate breeze in about 17C during the game.
It’s a first-ever meeting between the teams outside a World Cup where they have met four times in total going back to a initial clash in 1998.
Australia have won all bar one of those games with Ireland claiming a narrow victory in the pool stages of the 2017 World Cup.
Ireland, ranked ninth, were last in action in April when they beat Scotland 15-12 in Belfast to claim third place in the Six Nations, while Australia beat Fiji and lost heavily to New Zealand in July.
There are four uncapped players in the Ireland 23 with Vicky Elmes Kinlan and Ruth Campbell starting and Siobhán McCarthy and Erin King on the bench. Six of the squad were part of the Ireland Sevens Olympics party.
In total there are seven changes from the starting XV that beat the Scots, with Katie Corrigan, Béibhinn Parsons and co-captain Sam Monaghan among those missing through injury.
The Wallaroos, fifth in the world rankings and in WXV2, have three uncapped players on the bench in Alapeta Ngauamo, Tiarah Minns and Lucy Dinnen, while Siokapesi Palu captains the side.
TEAMS
Ireland: Eimear Considine; Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Dannah O’Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Dorothy Wall, Ruth Campbell; Aoife Wafer, Edel McMahon (capt), Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: ClÃodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Fiona Tuite, Erin King, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood.
Australia: Lori Cramer; Maya Stewart, Georgina Friedrichs, Cecilia Smith, Desiree Miller; Faitala Moleka, Natalie Wright; Bridie O’Gorman, Ashley Marsters, Eva Karpani; Kaitlan Leaney, Michaela Leonard; Siokapesi Palu (capt), Leilani Nathan, Tabua Tuinakauvadra.
Replacements: Tiarna Molloy, Alapeta Ngauamo, Lydia Kavoa, Tiarah Minns, Lucy Dinnen, Layne Morgan, Arabella McKenzie, Biola Dawa.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Clara Munarini (Ita)
AR: Maria Heitor (Por)
AR: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (Wal)
TMO: Ian Tempest (Eng)
WHAT THEY SAID
Scott Bemand (Ireland head coach): “We are playing at home in the 150 match and it’s a big game for Ireland and the IRFU. I’m excited to see how they go. It’s a combination of people earning and thoroughly deserving to start and some of the girls who have firepower off the bench.”
Jo Yapp (Australia head coach): “We’re all really excited to be here in Belfast and I’ve been pleased with how the players have settled in and responded with the travel and being away from home. It’s a new-look side selected and it’s important with a few injuries to build depth in key areas and give players an opportunity.”
PREVIOUS MEETINGS
2017: Ireland 24-36 Australia, Ravenhill, Belfast, World Cup
2017: Ireland 19-17 Australia, UCD Bowl, Dublin, World Cup
2006: Ireland 14-18 Australia, Ellerslie Rugby Park, Edmonton, World Cup
1998: Ireland 0-21 Australia, Amsterdam, World Cup
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