IRELAND HEAD COACH Scott Bemand has named his team for Sunday’s Women’s Rugby World Cup opener against Japan in Northampton [KO 12pm, RTÉ 2/BBC 2].

Sam Monaghan co-captains the side with Edel McMahon, who starts having missed the two World Cup warm-up games against Scotland and Canada through injury.

Stacey Flood is named at fullback, with Béibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Costigan on the wings.

Eve Higgins and Aoife Dalton are the starting centres, with Dannah O’Brien at out-half and Aoibheann Reilly getting the nod at scrum-half.

Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang start in the front row, while Ruth Campbell partners Monaghan in the second row.

McMahon returns from injury at openside, with Fiona Tuite and Brittany Hogan completing the back row.

On the bench, Bemand has named Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corri-Fallon and Grace Moore as his forward replacements, while Emily Lane, Enya Breen and Anna McGann cover the backs.

Following Sunday’s game at Franklin’s Gardens, Ireland will take on Spain (31 August) and New Zealand (7 September) as they look to advance from Pool C and reach the knock-out stages.

Ireland (v Japan):

• 15.⁠ ⁠Stacey Flood (20 caps)
• 14.⁠ ⁠Béibhinn Parsons (28)
• 13.⁠ ⁠Aoife Dalton (24)
• 12.⁠ ⁠Eve Higgins (28)
• 11.⁠ ⁠Amee-Leigh Costigan (19)
• 10.⁠ ⁠Dannah O’Brien (26)
• 9.⁠ ⁠Aoibheann Reilly (16)

•  1.⁠ ⁠Niamh O’Dowd (17)
•  2.⁠ ⁠Neve Jones (37)
•  3.⁠ ⁠Linda Djougang (48)
•  4.⁠ ⁠Ruth Campbell (8)
•  5.⁠ ⁠Sam Monaghan (23) – co-captain
•  6.⁠ ⁠Fiona Tuite (17)
•  7.⁠ ⁠Edel McMahon (34) – co-captain
•  8.⁠ ⁠Brittany Hogan (34)

Replacements:

• 16.⁠ ⁠Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald (45)
• 17.⁠ ⁠Ellena Perry (1)
• 18.⁠ ⁠Sadhbh McGrath (16)
• 19.⁠ ⁠Eimear Corri-Fallon (6)
• 20.⁠ ⁠Grace Moore (22)
• 21.⁠ ⁠Emily Lane (17)
• 22.⁠ ⁠Enya Breen (31)
• 23.⁠ ⁠Anna McGann (11)

Written by Ciarán Kennedy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.