Ireland Women's head coach Tom Tierney has included two new caps among the 10 changes to the side that lost narrowly to England for for Saturday's clash with Canada at Belfield (2.0pm).
UL Bohemian openside Anna Caplice gets her first outing in the backrow while Tullamore lock Nichola Fryday is named in the secondrow.. The 21-year-old UCD student will be partnered by Blackrock College's Katie Norris.
The Munster trio of Fiona Hayes, Zoe Grattage and Fiona Reidy will form a new-look frontrow.
There are two changes in the backs, as Tierney names a new halfback partnership of Galwegians' scrumhalf Mary Healy and Belfast-born outhalf Nikki Caughey.
“There were lots of positives to take from last Sunday’s game against England. While the result didn’t go in our favour, the players will take a lot from the performance and we will be looking to build on this over the next two week against Canada and New Zealand,” said Tierney.
“This weekend, Canada will present us with a new and different challenge. We know England well from playing them in the Six Nations, but this week’s opposition are less familiar to us. They have a very strong rugby programme in Canada and were runners up at the last World Cup, so we will have to play smart rugby against them and stick to our game plan.
“We’ve two more new caps this week as well, so we’re looking forward to seeing how Anna and Nichola get on in UCD.”
The game will be streamed live via the Irish Rugby YouTube channel.
IRELAND WOMEN (v Canada, UCD Bowl, Saturday, 2.0pm): Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht); Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemian/Munster), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht), Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls), Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht); Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Ulster), Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemian/Munster), Zoe Grattage (Highfield/Munster), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians/Munster); Katie Norris (Blackrock College/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Tullamore RFC/Leinster); Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster), Anna Caplice (UL Bohemians/Munster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St Mary's/Leinster) captain.
