Tuite in Ireland starting team for New Zealand
Fiona Tuite comes into the Ireland starting team to face New Zealand
- Published
Ulster second row Fiona Tuite has been drafted into the Ireland starting team for their opening WXV1 match against world champions New Zealand in Vancouver at 03:00 BST on Monday, live on BBC iPlayer.
Tuite's inclusion and Stacey Flood's selection ahead of Vicky Elmes-Kinlan, who drops to the bench, represent the only two personnel changes from the side which began Ireland's impressive 36-10 win over Australia in Belfast on 14 September.
Flood is named at full-back, with Eimear Considine moving to the wing, while uncapped prop Andrea Stock will hope to make her senior debut off the bench.
Number eight Brittany Hogan is the other Ulster player in the matchday 23 for the game.
Scott Bemand's side won WXV3 a year ago, beating Spain, Colombia and Kazakhstan to claim the title, but have jumped two divisions thanks to finishing third in the 2024 Six Nations.
Their meeting with the Black Ferns will be followed by games against host nation Canada and the USA.
Ireland have not faced the Black Ferns since 2016 and this will be just the third ever Test between the two sides.
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand commented: "We’ve had a really good training week here in Vancouver, including a valuable hit out against France on Wednesday.
"We’re facing into three matches against the top teams in the world, and New Zealand first up on Sunday present physical and ball movements threats, so the training we’ve done and the intensity of the session against France has let us tune into that.
“In terms of selection, we’ve had some good competition for places in recent weeks which has led to some difficult conversations. We’re pleased with how the group are performing, and we feel we’ve got the right blend in our matchday squad for the opening game of the campaign.”
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Eimear Considine, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Dannah O’Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Dorothy Wall, Fiona Tuite; Aoife Wafer, Edel McNahon, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Andrea Stock, Grace Moore, Erin King, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan,