Having lost nine of their previous 10 meetings against Ireland, Wales changed the record to win 27-19 at the RDS Arena last year.

Tries from Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Linda Djougang put the hosts 14-5 ahead after a hugely competitive first half.

But Welsh replacement Donna Rose crossed twice in the second half, with Jasmine Joyce and Hannah Jones also going over.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Chris Horsman
Former Wales coach on BBC Radio Wales

This tournament is a new chapter, it's a bit of a new dawn for the women's game.

All teams have now gone down the professional route so hopefully we're going to see a more competitive tournament overall.

Andy Gray
BBC Sport NI

Greg McWilliams has handed a debut to Ulster prop Sadhbh McGrath and he says he is "very excited" to see the 18-year-old Donegal youngster play in an Irish jersey.

The 18-year-old got the week off school to prepare for this game and there's high hopes she can be a regular for years to come.

"She is a very, very talented player with a big ceiling," he said.

"We are really impressed with her diligence, her ability and her skill. We are so excited to see her play.

"I'm really proud of Sadhbh, her dad Mick and the whole family. It is a big day for them and I'm looking forward to seeing what she has."

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Fly-half Elinor Snowsill says the Women's Six Nations is a chance to re-ignite the passion for rugby in Wales.

Welsh rugby has been through a turbulent time away from the pitch, but Snowsill hopes to ensure the focus is on the on-field exploits of Ioan Cunningham's Welsh team.

The missing sevens players from Ireland's Women's Six Nations squad "is the elephant in the room", according to head coach Greg McWilliams.

McWilliams is without backs Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe as Ireland's sevens team look to qualify for the Paris Olympics next year.

Wales are also missing pace out wide in the form of Jasmine Joyce, who is also away on sevens duty.

Read more: Absence of Ireland Sevens players 'elephant in the room'

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Ulster's 18-year-old prop Sadhbh McGrath makes her Ireland debut.

And there are Six Nations debuts for Meabh Deely, Aoife Dalton and Natasja Behan in the backline.

McGrath has earned a spot in the Ireland front row alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang having impressed head coach Greg McWilliams with her performances for the Combined Provinces in the recent Celtic Challenge competition.

Deely, Dalton and Behan start having made their debuts in Ireland's Test series in Japan last summer.

Deely, Behan and Aoife Doyle make up the back three while Dalton partners Enya Breen in midfield.

Nichola Fryday captains the side from the second row, where she packs down alongside Sam Monaghan, who impressed for Ireland during the 2022 tournament.

Ireland: M Deely; A Doyle, A Dalton, E Breen, N Behan; N Cronin, M Scuffil-McCabe; S McGrath, N Jones, L Djougang, N Fryday, S Monaghan, D Wall, M Og O'Leary, B Hogan.

Replacements: D Nic a Bhaird, N O'Dowd, C Haney, J Brown, G Moore, H O'Connor, D O'Brien, V Irwin.

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Royal New Zealand Navy officer Kate Williams is set to make her Wales debut in the Six Nations opener against Ireland.

Swansea-born Williams is among the replacements, having moved back to Wales from New Zealand after the World Cup.

Head coach Ioan Cunningham has shaken up his side, with Carys Williams-Morris moving to the wing.

Bethan Lewis is preferred to Sioned Harries at number eight, while Keira Bevan returns at scrum-half.

Bevan partners Elinor Snowsill at half-back, with Ffion Lewis named on the bench.

Wales: C Keight; L Neumann, H Jones (capt), K Lake, C Williams-Morris; E Snowsill, K Bevan; G Pyrs, K Jones, S Tuipulotu, A Fleming, G Crabb, G Evans, A Callender, B Lewis

Replacements: K Evans, C Thomas, C Hale, K Williams, S Harries, F Lewis, L George, H Bluck

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency

Good afternoon and welcome to Cardiff, where Wales face Ireland in the opening game of the 2023 Women's Six Nations.

After years of Ireland having the better of this fixture, Wales turned the tables in the opening game of the last campaign as they won late on in Dublin.

Ireland will be hoping today's match comes closer to resembling the last time the sides met in south Wales, when they scored seven tries on the way to victory.

Stay with us all for all the action this afternoon.

Let's start with a look at the teams.

Image source, Huw Evans Picture Agency