Team News | Ireland Team Named For Quarter Final Clash

Head Coach Scott Bemand has named his Ireland Match Day Squad for Sunday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025 quarter-final clash against France in Exeter (Kick-off 1pm).

After progressing through the Pool stages, Ireland go head-to-head with their Guinness Women’s Six Nations rivals in a last eight showdown at Sandy Park this weekend.

Stacey Flood, Béibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Costigan are named to start in an unchanged Ireland back three, as Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton continue their midfield partnership, while Aoibheann Reilly once again lines up alongside Dannah O’Brien in the half-backs.

In the pack, Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang are in the front row, with Ruth Campbell selected in the engine room alongside captain Sam Monaghan.

Fiona Tuite is named at blinside flanker in a back row alongside the returning Aoife Wafer, who is set to make her Women’s Rugby World Cup debut in green, and Brittany Hogan.

On the replacements bench, Clíodhna Moloney MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon and Grace Moore provide the back up options in the pack, with Emily Lane, Enya Breen and Anna McGann the backline reinforcements available to Bemand.

Sunday’s match is live on RTÉ2 and BBC2.

Ireland:

15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(23)
14. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(30)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(27)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(31)
11. Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(22)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(29)
9. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(18)

1. Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(19)
2. Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury)(40)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(51)
4. Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(11)
5. Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(26)(captain)
6. Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(19)
7. Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(15)
8. Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(37)

Replacements:

16. Clíodhna Moloney MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(48)
17. Ellena Perry (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(3)
18. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(19)
19. Eimear Corri-Fallon (Blackrock RFC/Leinster)(9)
20. Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(25)
21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(20)
22. Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(33)
23. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(14).