Tom Tierney has shown his hand for Ireland's crucial World Cup opener against Australia in the UCD Bowl on Wednesday night.
The host nation get up and running against the Wallaroos with little room for error, as they look to guarantee progress to the semi-finals in Belfast by topping Pool C.
Here we go......tasked with getting us off to the best possible start! It's going to be a cracker....#WRWC17 #bringit ☘️☘️ https://t.co/IhOe3rk2I0
— Niamh Briggs (@niamhbriggs15) August 8, 2017
Sophie Spence - nominated for the World Rugby Women’s Player of the Year in 2015 - has been left on the bench with Mazzie Reilly and Paula Fitzpatrick named second-rows.
Larissa Muldoon partners out-half Nora Stapleton at half-back, with Sene Naoupu and Jenny Murphy forming the centre partnership. Alison Miller and Eimear Considine line out on the wings, with Hannah Tyrrell at full-back in place of the injured Niamh Briggs.
"They've had excellent preparation and things have really come together since arriving into UCD on Saturday afternoon. Everyone has been extremely focused on their role and the challenge ahead.
"The Australians are a good team and we will have to be very good for the opening game.
"The players are all very clear on the challenges that the Wallaroos pose.
"However this is a home World Cup and we're confident that the crowd will get behind us tomorrow evening which will be an added benefit for us and we're all looking forward to getting the tournament underway."
Earlier today Australia head coach Paul Verrell named his starting 15.
Mahalia Murphy and Trilleen Pomare will make their Wallaroos debuts, lining up on the left wing and at out-half respectively.
The highly-rated Murphy is one of three Australia Sevens stars named to star, with Shannon Parry [above] captaining the side from openside flanker and Sharni Williams featuring inside breakout star Kayla Sauvao in the centre.
Liz Patu, Cheyenne Campbell and Hilisha Samoa will form a powerful all-Queensland front row, with Chloe Butler and Millie Boyle pairing up in the second row.
The 13-times capped Rebecca Clough and Ashleigh Hewson, who is the most-capped Wallarroo in the current squad with 15 Tests behind her, have to be content with places on the bench.
Mollie Gray makes her return to international rugby at blindside flanker alongside Parry and Grace Hamilton, who will start at number 8.
Katrina Barker and WA product Pomare form a new-look half-back combination, with Murphy, Nareta Masters and Samantha Treherne adding plenty of pace to the back-three.
Ireland (v Australia): 15 Hannah Tyrrell, 14 Eimear Considine, 13 Jenny Murphy, 12 Sene Naoupu, 11 Alison Miller, 10 Nora Stapleton, 9 Larissa Muldoon; 1 Lindsay Peat, 2 Cliodhna Moloney, 3 Ailis Egan, 4 Paula Fitzpatrick, 5 Marie-Louise Reilly, 6 Ashleigh Baxter, 7 Claire Molloy (capt), 8 Heather O'Brien
Replacements: 16 Leah Lyons, 17 Ruth O'Reilly, 18 Ciara O'Connor, 19 Sophie Spence, 20 Ciara Griffin, 21 Nicole Cronin, 22 Katie Fitzhenry, 23 Mairead Coyne
Australia: 1 Liz Patu, 2 Cheyenne Campbell, 3 Hilisha Samoa, 4 Chloe Butler, 5 Millie Boyle, 6 Mollie Gray, 7 Shannon Parry (capt), 8 Grace Hamilton; 9 Katrina Barker, 10 Trilleen Pomare, 11 Mahalia Murphy, 12 Sharni Williams, 13 Kayla Sauvao, 14 Nareta Marsters, 15 Samantha Treherne
Replacements: 16 Emily Robinson, 17 Violeta Tupuola, 18 Hana Ngaha, 19 Rebecca Clough, 20 Alisha Hewett, 21 Fenella Hake, 22 Sarah Riordan, 23 Ashleigh Hewson
FIXTURES
Ireland v Australia, UCD Bowl, 7pm, Wednesday 9 August,
Ireland v Japan, UCD Bowl, 5.15pm, Sunday 13 August
Ireland v France, UCD Bowl, 7.45pm, Thursday 17 August
Watch all of Ireland's games live on RTÉ Sport and the RTÉ Player (ROI only), listen live on 2fm and follow live blogs on RTÉ Sport Online and the News Now app.
