Sam Monaghan will make her first start of the 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations, as the only change for Ireland’s final game against Scotland at Aviva Stadium on Sunday.
Former co-captain Monaghan replaces Dorothy Wall in the starting team for the landmark Aviva Stadium fixture, Ireland’s first ever standalone women’s Test at Lansdowne Road, with 30,000 supporters expected.
Monaghan missed the opening round defeat to England at Twickenham due to injury, but has featured off the bench in each of the last three games.
The only other alteration to the matchday squad comes on the bench where head coach Scott Bemand has reverted to a 5:3 split, as Grace Moore drops out and Vicky Elmes Kinlan comes into the 22 jersey.
It’s the same front and back row that has started every game in this championship; Ellena Perry, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang packing down up front, with captain Erin King, Brittany Hogan and Aoife Wafer across the back row.
Monaghan's return in the second row sees her lock down alongside Fiona Tuite.
Bemand has stuck with the same backline that began last week’s 33-12 win against Wales.
Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien continue their half-back partnership for the fifth game in a row, while Eve Higgins keeps her place in the centre alongside Aoife Dalton.
Robyn O’Connor and Beibhinn Parsons are on the wings, with Stacey Flood taking her usual spot at full-back.
A win for Ireland would guarantee third-place for the third year in a row, while also giving them their best points return from a Six Nations since 2020.
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Robyn O'Connor; Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane; Ellena Perry, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Linda Djougang; Sam Monaghan, Fiona Tuite; Brittany Hogan, Erin King (capt), Aoife Wafer.
Replacements: Neve Jones, Sadhbh McGrath, Eilís Cahill, Dorothy Wall, Ruth Campbell, Katie Whelan, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Niamh Gallagher.
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Follow our live blog on Ireland v Scotland in the Guinness Women's Six Nations on Sunday from 2.30pm and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Watch Wales v Italy (12.15pm) and France v England (4.45pm) on RTÉ Player
