There's a fresh face in Ireland's starting lineup for their Six Nations finale against Scotland, and it's one fans have been waiting to see. Second row Sam Monaghan will make her first start of the tournament this Sunday at the Aviva Stadium, stepping in as the only change to the XV that secured a commanding 33-12 victory over Wales in Belfast.
Monaghan, a former co-captain, has been biding her time on the bench for the past three matches after missing the opening clash with England due to injury. Now fully fit and ready to earn her 31st cap, she replaces Dorothy Wall, who drops to the replacements. It's a move that speaks volumes about the depth Ireland are building—and head coach Scott Bemand couldn't be more excited about the decision.
"It's been an absolute pleasure to have an hour and a half conversation discussing who is in your engine room," Bemand said. "We enjoy selection. We've moved to a point now where we have genuine competition for who can start and who can come on and bring impact off the bench. We're at the level now that we're starting to consider who we're playing against and what best fit for how we think the game is going to pattern out."
Sunday's clash isn't just another game—it's a landmark moment for women's rugby in Ireland. With more than 30,000 fans expected, it will be the largest crowd ever for a standalone women's match at the Aviva Stadium. The team is aiming to finish the campaign unbeaten at home, and the energy around Dublin is electric.
Scotland, meanwhile, are looking to turn things around after three straight losses. They sit fifth in the table, five points behind Ireland in third, and will be desperate to spoil the party. But Ireland's form has been building steadily, and Bemand has kept faith in a backline that's been firing on all cylinders. Stacey Flood, Beibhinn Parsons, and Robyn O'Connor form the back three, while Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton anchor the midfield. Emily Lane partners Dannah O'Brien at half-back, providing a steady hand under pressure.
Up front, the pack is a picture of consistency. Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, and Linda Djougang will make their fifth consecutive starts this Championship, with Monaghan joining Fiona Tuite in the second row. After a two-try performance against Wales, Brittany Hogan is back at flanker, while captain Erin King leads from openside and Aoife Wafer wears the number eight jersey.
On the bench, Bemand has opted for a 5:3 split, packing the replacements with forwards Neve Jones, Sadhbh McGrath, Eilis Cahill, Dorothy Wall, and Ruth Campbell, alongside backs Katie Whelan, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, and Niamh Gallagher. It's a squad built for impact, and with the crowd behind them, Ireland are ready to close out the Six Nations in style.