Ireland's Women's Six Nations campaign reaches its thrilling conclusion this Sunday, as they host Scotland at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. With a record crowd of over 30,000 expected for the first standalone women's rugby match at the venue, the stage is set for a historic afternoon of rugby.
Head coach Scott Bemand has made just one change to the side that secured a commanding 33-12 victory over Wales in Belfast. Second row Sam Monaghan, a former co-captain with 30 caps to her name, earns her first start of this Six Nations championship. Monaghan, who missed the opening match against England through injury and has been on the bench for the past three rounds, replaces Dorothy Wall. Wall will provide impact from the replacements bench as she aims to make her mark in the second half.
"It's been an absolute pleasure to have an hour-and-a-half conversation discussing who is in your engine room," Bemand said of the selection process. "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 where 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."
Ireland are riding high after three wins from four matches, sitting third in the table with 13 points. They aim to complete their campaign unbeaten at home, a fitting goal for a team that has shown remarkable growth. Scotland, meanwhile, arrive in Dublin after three consecutive defeats and sit fifth with eight points. The visitors will be desperate to finish their Six Nations on a high note.
The backline remains unchanged, with Stacey Flood, Beibhinn Parsons, and Robyn O'Connor forming the back three. In midfield, Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton continue their partnership, while Emily Lane and Dannah O'Brien control the tempo at half-back. The front row of Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, and Linda Djougang all make their fifth consecutive start this championship, providing a solid platform. Monaghan joins Fiona Tuite in the second row, while the back row features Brittany Hogan, captain Erin King, and number eight Aoife Wafer—who impressed with two tries against Wales.
On the bench, Bemand has opted for a 5:3 forward-to-back split, with Neve Jones and Sadhbh McGrath among the reinforcements ready to make an impact. Kick-off is at 3:15 PM on Sunday, with all the action live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website. This is a must-watch clash as Ireland look to finish their Six Nations story in style.