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Munster and Leinster collide in round 2 of Interpros, while Ulster host Connacht

Leinster ran out 33-14 winners when the sides met last season in Cork
Leinster ran out 33-14 winners when the sides met last season in Cork

Munster began their Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship with a bonus-point win over Ulster but they know there is much to improve on.

And the quick-fire nature of the fixture list means they don’t have lots of time to "right a few wrongs", with champions Leinster Saturday’s visitors to Cork.

Alana McInerney’s hat-trick sent Munster on the way to a 29-22 victory but it was the Ulster women who finished stronger, scoring the last two tries and 'winning the second half’ 17-7.

"I think we’d probably be disappointed with how the game finished," head coach Fiona Hayes, in her first match in charge, said on RedFM.

"We were 22-5 up at half-time, and probably didn’t play the best rugby in the second half.

"We’re very happy with how the first half went, but I suppose our disappointment would lie in that second half. In saying that, Ulster were so physical, they came out firing in.

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"I think the Interpro games are getting tighter and tighter each year, which makes the competition brilliant.

"We’ll be looking forward to next week’s match against Leinster to right a few wrongs."

There are two changes to the side with Dorothy Wall and vice-captain Aoife Corey coming in.

Leinster impressed in a six-try victory over Connacht in Donnybrook last weekend.

Tania Rosser’s charges took control from early on and ran out 38-19 winners.

"We know Munster are going to fight to the last minute, the final whistle, and we just want to front up to them," Leinster full-back Emma Tilly, scorer of her side's fourth try, said this week.

Emma Tilly score for Leinster against Connacht

"They’re strong around the park, and we know that, and we’ll have to scrub up on a few things and put it up to them."

Scrum-half Ailsa Hughes comes in for Katie Whelan, while Ireland's Christy Haney starts at tighthead.

Elsewhere, Ulster welcome Connacht to Belfast in the early kick-off.

They’ll be buoyed by their strong finish in Cork last weekend, which yielded two bonus points for Murray Houston’s side.

Tara O’Neil, India Daley, Lucy Thompson and Brittany Hogan scored the tries, while Ireland scrum-half Kathryn Dane made a successful comeback following her long-term absence.

Last season’s meeting between the sides saw Ulster win their first Interpro game since 2012.

"We can’t just hold onto last year’s win, it's done, we are a new team and this is another game," said Houston.

"We have the ability to win if we get things right.

"We know the threats that Connacht have, they like to move the ball a lot and like to attack.

"They have a big kicking threat with Nicole Fowley and we have to be aware of that."

Catherine Martin makes her debut on the left wing, while Cara O'Kane gets her first start at lock.

Nicole Fowley in action against Leinster

Connacht, meanwhile, showed in patches against Leinster with a brace from Faith Oviawe and a Laoise McGonagle try just reward for their efforts.

"In the second half we fought really hard, and then started to attack, the self-belief built in the younger squad [members]," said defence coach Tommy Ellard.

"The second half was very positive, a real battle between both teams."

Head coach Emer O'Dowd has made four changes to her starting XV.

There’s a new second row pairing of Karly Tierney and Grace Browne Moran, while Oviawe is promoted to the back row after her two tries off the bench last weekend.

Orla Dixon comes in at outside centre.


Women's Interprovincial Championship

Round 2 fixtures - Saturday 17 August

Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm

Munster v Leinster, Virgin Media Park, 4.45pm


Ulster: Lauren Farrell-McCabe; Lucy Thompson, Catherine Martin, Tara O'Neill, Peita McAlister; Abby Moyles, Kathryn Dane (capt); Bronach Cassidy, India Daley, Sophie Barrett; Brenda Barr, Cara O'Kane; Moya Hill, Maebh Clenaghan, Brittany Hogan.

Replacements: Christy Hill, Megan Brodie, Ava Fannin, Gemma McCamley, Stacey Sloan, Rachael McIlroy, Paige Smyth, Vicky Irwin.

Connacht: Meabh Deely; Clara Barrett, Orla Dixon, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, Laoise McGonagle; Nicole Fowley (co-capt), Grainne Moran; Ella Burns, Lily Brady, Megan Collis; Karly Tierney, Grace Browne; Faith Oviawe, Beibhinn Gleeson, Shannon Touhey (co-capt).

Replacements: Stacy Hanley, Hope Lowney, Roisín Maher, Jemima Adams Verling, Rosie Searle, May Goulding, Ava Ryder, Hannah Clarke.

Munster: Aoife Corey; Chisom Ugwueru, Stephanie Nunan, Enya Breen, Alana McInerney; Kate Flannery, Muirne Wall; Siobhan McCarthy, Beth Buttimer, Éilis Cahill; Dorothy Wall, Claire Bennett; Brianna Heylmann, Jane Clohessy, Chloe Pearse (capt).

Replacements: Emma Dunican, Ciara O'Dwyer, Ciara McLoughlin, Aoibhe O’ Flynn, Annakate Cournane, Caitriona Finn, Lucia Linn, Maggie Boylan.

Leinster: Emma Tilly; Aimee Clarke, Aoife Dalton, Cara Martin, Ella Roberts; Nikki Caughey, Ailsa Hughes; Linda Djougang, Sarah Delaney, Christy Haney; Ruth Campbell, Eimear Corri; Hannah O'Connor (capt), Molly Boyne, Caoimhe Molloy.

Replacements: Aoife Moore, Clodagh Dunne, Kelly Burke, Jane Neill, Jemma Farrell, Jade Gaffney, Leah Tarpey, Robyn O'Connor.

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