Ireland recalls for Considine and Murphy Crowe

Eimear Considine won the last of her 26 caps in 2022

Eimear Considine and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe will both return to the Ireland team for the first time since 2022 when Australia are the visitors to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday afternoon (14:30 BST kick-off).

Munster full-back Considine has not featured in the green jersey since April 2022 but impressed during the Women's Interprovincial Championship after recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Murphy Crowe is one of five players in Scott Bemand's side who represented Ireland Sevens at the Paris Olympics this summer with Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane and the uncapped Erin King all named among the replacements.

King is one of four potential debutants in the 23 for a game that will be used to prepare for Ireland's first WXV 1 campaign starting this month.

Vicky Elmes Kinlan is named on the right wing, while Ruth Campbell replaces injured co-captain Sam Monaghan in the second row and prop Siobhan McCarthy is on the bench.

Ireland have not played Australia since 2017, with Considine and replacement hooker Cliodhna Moloney the only survivors from that day in Saturday's squad.

The hosts' return to Belfast, where they beat Scotland in the Six Nations in April to secure qualification for next year's World Cup, comes at a time when results are showing signs of improvement after years of downturn.

"I was aware of some of the turbulence that was happening," said Australia head coach Jo Yapp of the situation that saw Irish players write to the government to outline their loss of "all trust and confidence" in the union.

"Since Scott has come in it seems to have really settled and you can see the progress of the girls.

"They've got into WXV1 now which is fantastic for them and you can really see the growth. They've got a really strong coaching team and they look like they're really back on track which is great to see."

The Wallaroos will be skippered by flanker Siokapesi Palu despite usual captain Michaela Leonard starting in the second row as Yapp looks to add more leadership experience to the squad.

The former England captain has named three potential debutants on the bench with Alapeta Ngauamo, Tiarah Minns and Lucy Dinnen all hoping to win first caps as replacements.

Yapp believes playing different opposition will be a valuable experience before next year's World Cup.

"Having opportunities to play against northern hemisphere teams is really interesting," she said.

"It's quite different to what we face in the southern hemisphere playing against the likes of New Zealand and Fiji. There's much more tactical kicking, that's obviously quite noticeable from Ireland.

"They quite like a kick battle. That's something we're mindful of. Also, they like to keep ball in hand, move the ball, and want to create quick ball. We know we've got to be quick round the corner defensively to stop that."

Ireland: Considine; Elmes Kinlan, Dalton, Breen, Murphy Crowe; O'Brien, Scuffil-McCabe; O'Dowd, Jones, Djougang; Wall, Campbell; Wafer, McMahon, Hogan.

Replacements: Moloney, McCarthy, Haney, Tuite, King, Lane, Higgins, Flood

Australia: Cramer; Stewart, Friedrichs, Smith, Miller; Moleka, Wright; O'Gorman, Masters, Karpani; Leaney, Leonard; Palu (capt), Nathan, Tuinakauvadra.

Replacements: Molloy, Ngauamo, Kavoa, Minns, Dinnen, Morgan, McKenzie, Dawa.