Rugby

Ireland name XV to face Australia in the 5th Place semi-final

‘There’s huge pride in this team and we’re looking to finish with two performances’

Ireland Women’s head coach Tom Tierney talks to his players during a training session in Belfast. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/Inpho

Mon Aug 21 2017 - 14:28

Ireland head coach Tom Tierney has made three changes to his team to face Australia in Tuesday's 5th Place semi-final match of the Women's Rugby World Cup.

From the team that lost to France in the last game of the pool stages, Louise Galvin comes in for Eimear Considine on the wing, hooker Leah Lyons is replaced by Cliodhna Moloney, and Sophie Spence is replaced by Ciara Cooney in the secondrow.

On the selections, Tierney said;

“Since arriving in Belfast on Friday the squad have had some down time and settled well into the city and training has been very positive.

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“We know what the Australians will bring to the game tomorrow, and we will have to be ready to match their physicality from the start.

“We’ve reviewed our own games and looked at areas where we can improve in both attack and defence. There is huge pride in this team and we’re looking to finish this tournament with two performances.”

Ireland will face the Wallaroos at 2pm on Tuesday in the Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

Ireland: Hannah Tyrrell; Louise Galvin, Jenny Murphy, Sene Naoupu, Alison Miller; Nora Stapleton, Nicole Cronin; Lindsay Peat, Cliodhna Moloney, Ailis Egan; Ciara Cooney, Marie-Louise Reilly; Ciara Griffin, Claire Molloy (Capt); Paula Fitzpatrick.

Replacements; Leah Lyons, Ilse Van Staden, Ciara O’Connor, Sophie Spence, Anna Caplice, Larissa Muldoon, Katie Fitzhenry, Claire McLaughlin.

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