Ireland Women’s Rugby Team Named for match against Italy – Six Nations 2010

from RBS 6 Nations 2010:

Ireland Women’s coach Kevin West has announced his first RBS 6 Nations team for the 2010 Championship opener against Italy in Ashbourne on Friday, kick-off 7.35pm.

West has included several familiar faces and a sprinkling of new talent with four new caps in the starting XV.

Up front team captain Fiona Coghlan, who will be winning her 49th cap at prop, is joined by Emer McManamly, earning her sixth, and the uncapped Chris Fanning of Highfield and Munster at hooker.

There is another new cap in the second row as Mary Louise Reilly joins Kate O’Loughlin. Reilly is from Navan RFC and should bring some strong local support to the game in Ashbourne.

The highly experienced Tania Rosser is at scrum half and will be partnered at 10 by Joanne O’Sullivan and with a combined total of over 90 appearances they should provide strong leadership while Nora Stapleton of Old Belvedere will earn her first cap on the right wing with Alison Miller of Portlaoise making her debut on the left.

The Ireland Women’s team are based in Ashbourne Rugby Club for their championship campaign. The club are pulling out all the stops to support the team with buses set to ferry supporters from Dublin for the games.

Irish XV to play Italy in the Six Nations on Friday, 5 February in Ashbouene, kck-off, 7.35pm:
15 Niamh Briggs, 14 Nora Stapleton, 13 Grace Davitt, 12 Shannon Houston, 11 Alison Miller, 10 Joanne O’Sullivan, 9 Tania Rosser,
1 Fiona Coghlan, 2. Chris Fanning, 3 Emer McManamly, 4 Kate O’Loughlin, 5 Marie Louise Reilly, 6 Carol Staunton, 7 Claire Molloy,
8 Joy Neville

Replacements
16. Gillian Bourke, 17 Lauren Day, 18 Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians – Leinster), 19. Louise Austin, 20 Louise Beamish, 21 Helen Brosnan, 22 Eliza Downey

For a full schedule of all the 2010 Six Nations action, go here. For travel packages to England for the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup, go here.