And McWilliams is seeking a big response. This daunting second round fixture is an opportunity to set the record straight. That quintet of forwards have all forged big reputations in the game, but they struggled in Cardiff. Madoussou Fall and Romane Menager were both ruled out of the tournament through injury, depriving Les Bleus of two other world class forwards, but this young French pack will still pack a punch.ĭjougang, Neve Jones, Sam Monaghan, Nichola Fryday and Dorothy Wall are the crew retained from the defeat against Wales. Céline Ferer, Marjorie Mayans and Safi N'Diaye - three seasoned forwards - all retired from international rugby after the tournament in New Zealand. The visitors are in something of a rebuilding phase in the wake of last year's World Cup. The hope is those changes will help in gaining some kind of parity up font against a French pack which looked ominously strong at the set-piece during their win against Italy in Treviso. Brittany Hogan drops to the bench while Maeve Og O'Leary is out of the matchday squad. Pic: INPHO/Ashley Crowdenĭeirbhile Nic a Bhaird and Grace Moore have been drafted into the backrow after both impressed off the bench in the opening round. ![]() Tighthead prop Christy Haney is called up to bring some solidity to the scrum, with Linda Djougang shifting across to the loosehead side. Unsurprisingly, McWilliams has shaken things up in the pack after the Welsh debacle. Vicky Irwin, who replaces the injured Enya Breen, is the other change to the Irish backline. 'It's hard to know which way (the game will play out) on the day, but definitely I'd say we might feed the backs a bit more this weekend.' ![]() If that is the case, I think I am ready for it. 'I think the team backs me and I feel comfortable playing in that position. Dannah O’Brien of Ireland in action against Wales. 'The last six months I've kind of been preparing for these games,' O'Brien said yesterday. Indeed, the championship debutante didn't sound overawed by the prospect of steering the ship against a global superpower. It's the main reason she has got the nod for tomorrow's Six Nations clash on Leeside, with Nicole Cronin - with 22 caps to her name - taking her place among the replacements to accommodate O'Brien in the No10 jersey. Nothing went right for the visitors on the day and the game was long gone when O'Brien was summoned from the bench and, despite operating behind a beaten pack, the young out-half put in an encouraging display. The second-half cameo at Cardiff Arms Park was instructive. The fear is O'Brien might experience the same trauma at Musgrave Park. McGrath has dropped to the bench for the French visit. Sadhbh McGrath was pitched in against a sizeable Welsh pack last weekend and, unsurprisingly, the 18-year-old Ulster prop struggled at scrum time. Throwing a greenhorn into such an unforgiving environment is always a risk. Ireland's Dannah O’Brien kicks a conversion. Tomorrow, she faces the biggest examination of her career to date with a maiden Six Nations start against an imposing France team in Cork. In truth, the Ireland women's team have lacked a consistent and confident operator at outhalf since Nora Stapleton retired after the 2017 World Cup.Īt 19 and with only two Test caps to her name, it might be premature to hail O'Brien as the next great thing, but the early indicators are promising. She is operating in a high performance environment, day in, day out and the hope is that this fledgling No10 can finally bring some authority and tactical nous to the position. Now, she is playing with Old Belvedere - a powerhouse in the All-Ireland League - and was one of a host of players who accepted the offer of a contract with the IRFU. It was striking how comfortable the Carlow-born playmaker looked at this level, given she was lining out for Tullow in Division 1 of the Leinster League at the time. O'Brien jumped at the chance and made a big impression, playing in both games and displaying a maturity beyond her years. Dannah O'Brien during Ireland Women's Rugby Squad Training, Shizuoka. The national team were embarking on a two-Test tour of Japan last August and the Ireland head coach was wondering if this promising 18-year-old out-half fancied being involved. ![]() The Tullow native had just finished her Leaving Cert when she got the call from Greg McWilliams. She was processed through the system at warp speed. O'Brien's progression, however, has been meteoric.
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