Scott Bemand was always likely to freshen things up this week after the tough defeat to England in Cork and there are several new names on the Ireland Women’s team line-up ahead of the Wales match.
Ireland pushed back against England, but all that effort came at a cost including the confirmation that Erin King, 21, had suffered a serious knee injury that will see her miss the rest of the Six Nations and the World Cup.
The rugby team will take on Wales in Newport on Easter Sunday, the side’s fourth game in the Six Nations campaign, and Scott has moved things around with his starting line-up.
Luckily, Edel McMahon has recovered from injury and is back as the openside flanker. The Exeter Chiefs backrower and Ireland squad captain sat out the England game with injury and her return is a significant boost ahead of the trip to Wales.
The other changes to the pack are telling. Ruth Campbell has been recalled to the second row to bolster a lineout which suffered some critical malfunctions against England.
Munster’s Siobhán McCarthy has been drafted in at loosehead, with Ulster prop Sadhbh McGrath named on the bench.
Molly Scuffil-McCabe also earns her first start of the championship. Molly, who is dividing her time between Ireland and playing her rugby in New Zealand, is ready to lay down a marker.
It will be her first start since the WXV1 win against New Zealand last September.
In midfield, Enya Breen swaps places with Eve Higgins. Eve has been excellent across the past three rounds but Enya will bring another kicking and passing option, which could unlock a Welsh defence that has already conceded 20 tries in this championship.
The back three of Stacey Flood, Anna McGann and Amee-Leigh Costigan will hope to see more ball in the wide channels as well.
It’s been a tough week for a wounded squad but this freshened-up crew can right some wrongs.
