Having got their Guinness Six Nations campaign up and running with a 54-12 win away to Italy last time out, Ireland face the biggest challenge in women's rugby, as England visit Virgin Media Park this Saturday.
It's 10 years since Ireland last beat the Red Roses, and they haven't come within a sniff of doing it in recent years. Twelve months ago, John Mitchell's side blew the doors off Ireland, scoring 14 tries in an 88-10 win in front of 50,000 people at Twickenham, as they strolled towards yet another Six Nations title.
England haven't been beaten in the Six Nations since 2018, and they haven't lost a game in any competition since the World Cup final defeat to New Zealand in 2022.
As heavy as Ireland's recent defeats to England have been, the evidence suggests that this is a vastly superior Irish side than the one that played in London last year, and while the Red Roses will be expected to win in Cork, this is a huge opportunity for Scott Bemand's side to show the progress they have made in the last 12 months.
ONLINE
Follow a live blog of Ireland v England (4.45pm) on RTE.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app followed by report and reaction.
RADIO
Listen to live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
TV
The game is live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, with coverage getting under way at 4pm.
France v Wales (Saturday, 12.35pm) is live on RTÉ Player, while Scotland v Italy (Sunday, 3pm) is live on Virgin Media Two.
WEATHER
There should be favourable conditions in Cork on Saturday afternoon, with temperatures around 14C, light wind and no rain forecast.
Listen to the RTÉ Rugby podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
While Ireland shocked the world when they beat New Zealand in the opening game of the WXV last September, pulling off a win against this England team is another level up entirely.
The Red Roses have dominated the Six Nations in recent years, going for their seventh title in a row, and the likelihood is that they are only going to get better as this summer's World Cup approaches, with John Mitchell's side determined to make up for their final defeat against New Zealand in 2022. For the record, that's their only defeat in their last 53 games.
Overall, it's been a positive start for Ireland in this championship. They were frustrated not to pick up a point in their defeat to France in round one, following what had been a good performance, and they made up for that two weeks ago when they trounced Italy in Parma.
With winnable games to come away to Wales and Scotland in the next fortnight, the visit of England won't define Ireland's campaign, although it does give them the opportunity to see just how much they have improved in the last 12 months.
Head coach, Bemand (above) has made three changes to his side, as Dorothy Wall, Brittany Hogan and Emily Lane all come back into the team, having dropped to the bench in Italy, with Edel McMahon out injured and Ruth Campbell and Aoibheann Reilly among the replacements.
Enya Breen is also ruled out due to a knock, with Bemand reverting to a 5:3 split on his replacements, as Nicole Fowley and Vicky Elmes Kinlan coming in, with the latter making her Six Nations debut.
England also show three changes, with all three in the pack. Hannah Botterman and Maud Muir both start at prop, while number 8 Alex Matthews is recalled after serving a two-match suspension.
Wing Abby Dow is set to earn her 50th cap on the right wing.
TEAMS
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Anna McGann, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan (capt); Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane; Niamh O'Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Fiona Tuite, Dorothy Wall; Brittany Hogan, Erin King, Aoife Wafer.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Ruth Campbell, Grace Moore, Aoibheann Reilly, Nicole Fowley, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.
England: Ellie Kildunne; Abby Dow, Meg Jones, Tatyana Heard, Jess Breach; Zoe Harrison, Natasha Hunt; Hannah Botterman, Lark Atkin-Davies, Maud Muir, Morwenna Talling, Abbie Ward; Zoe Aldcroft (capt), Sadia Kabeya, Alex Matthews.
Replacements: Amy Cokayne, Kelsey Clifford, Sarah Bern, Rosie Galligan, Maddie Feaunati, Lucy Packer, Hollie Aitchison, Helena Rowland.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Aurelie Groizeleau (FFR)
Assistant Referee 1: Clara Munarini (FIR)
Assistant Referee 2: Amber Stamp-Dunstan (WRU)
TMO: Andrew McMenemy (SRU)
FPRO: Matteo Liperini (FIR)
Scott Bemand (Ireland head coach): "We all know what happened last year. We're an honest group, happy to talk about it, but we feel we've moved our game on. We believe we are further down the road than we were a year ago, and we think we can fire some shots this weekend. If we're in the game, and we get our wheels starting to turn, we think we can cause some problems."
RECENT SIX NATIONS MEETINGS
2024: England 88-10 Ireland, Twickenham
2023: Ireland 0-48 England, Musgrave Park, Cork
2022: England 69-0 Ireland, Welford Road, Leicester
2020: England 27-0 Ireland, Castle Park, Doncaster
2019: Ireland 7-51 England, Energia Park, Dublin
