Japan v Ireland: Four to make debuts in Test series opener
- Published
Aoife Dalton is set to make her senior international debut just two months after finishing her Leaving Certificate (Irish equivalent to A-levels)
Japan v Ireland, first Test |
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Venue: Ecopa Stadium, Fukuroi City Date: Saturday, 20 August Kick-off: 11:00 BST |
Coverage: Score updates and match report on the BBC Sport website |
Head coach Greg McWilliams has included four uncapped players in his starting side for Ireland's first Test against Japan on Saturday.
Dannah O'Brien, Aoife Dalton, Natasja Behan and Meabh Deely will all make their senior debuts at Ecopa Stadium.
Taryn Schultzer and Leah Tarpey could also receive their first cap having been named among the replacements as Ireland seek to open a new chapter.
Captain Nicola Fryday is the most experienced player in the starting XV.
The two sides met in Dublin last November, with Ireland emerging 15-12 winners in what was then-captain Ciara Griffin's final appearance.
Only six of the players who started that game nine months ago are again selected for Saturday's meeting in Fukuroi City.
Since that match at the RDS, major changes have taken place in the Irish set-up, including the installation of McWilliams as head coach and the IRFU committing to a raft of reforms, investment and professional contracts for the senior women's side.
The pursuit of a fresh start following the failure to qualify for this autumn's World Cup prompted McWilliams and his team to bring new talent into the squad, something that was prioritised during recent summer training camps.
Three of the prospective debutants only left school in June, including 19-year-old Dalton who starts alongside Enya Breen in midfield.
Sevens international Deely makes her 15s debut from full-back, while Behan starts on the right wing having trained with the Six Nations squad earlier this year.
Out-half O'Brien forms a new-look half-back partnership with Ailsa Hughes.
Ireland: Deely; Behan, Dalton, Breen, Doyle; O'Brien, Hughes; Djougang, Jones, O'Dwyer, Fryday (capt), Monaghan; Wall, McMahon, O'Connor.
Replacements: Hooban, Pearse, Haney, Schultzer, Moore, Cronin, Tarpey, Scuffil-McCabe.
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