Wall to start against Japan in WXV test

Exeter Chiefs Women’s lock Dorothy Wall has been selected to start for Ireland against Japan in their second game of the WXV Global Series.

Wall will run out at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway on Sunday (KO 12:45) while Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald has been rotated for this game with uncapped hooker Beth Buttimer in the matchday 23 for the first time. The 21-year-old is set to make her test debut off the bench having been in standout form for Munster during the recent Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.

There are six changes to the starting team from last weekend’s game against the USA, with Connacht’s Béibhinn Parsons, Anna McGann and Aoibheann Reilly all coming into the backline, while Eilís Cahill earns her first Ireland start in the front row, Neve Jones is in at hooker and Brittany Hogan is selected in the back row.

Aoife Wafer was ruled out of selection this week after suffering a minor injury in training.

Ireland were defeated by USA last time out with a 36-40 scoreline. Japan suffered a heavier defeat to Italy who won 55-21.

Sunday’s match is live on TG4 Player and YouTube.

IRELAND

15 Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(30)
14 Béibhinn Parsons (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(36)
13 Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(18)
12 Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(38)
11 Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)(7)
10 Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(36)
9 Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(20)
1 Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury)(24)
2 Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(47)
3 Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(5)
4 Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs)(43)
5 Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(26)
6 Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks)(44)
7 Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(13)(captain)
8 Jemima Adams Verling (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(1)

Replacements:
16 Beth Buttimer (Munster/Clovers)*
17 Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(22)
18 Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(58)
19 Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(1)
20 Grace Moore (Munster)(28)
21 Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(26)
22 Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(34)
23 Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(2)