Ireland Name Six Changes for Japan Rematch in Cork
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made six changes to his starting XV for Saturday’s rugby Test against Japan at Virgin Media Park, bringing in Jane Clohessy and Niamh Gallagher for their first international starts while naming three uncapped players on the bench, as reported by rte.ie. The fixture kicks off at 2 pm on Saturday and marks the final home match of this block of three home matches before Ireland travel to South Africa, building on a hard-fought 31-24 victory over the same opponents in Galway last Sunday.
The team selection sees notable shifts across the pack and backline. Scrum coach Denis Fogarty noted that backrower Aoife Wafer is tracking well from an ankle injury that kept her sidelined in Galway, but the coaching staff chose to err on the side of caution rather than risk her in Cork, according to irishtimes.com. Captain Erin King retains her spot in the back row alongside Brittany Hogan and Jemima Adams Verling, forming the only line of the starting XV left completely unchanged from last week’s victory.
Linda Djougang returns to starting front row
Linda Djougang returns to the starting lineup at loosehead prop, replacing Niamh O’Dowd and joining Neve Jones and Eilís Cahill in a revamped front row unit, munsterrugby.ie reported. In the second row, Jane Clohessy earns her third cap and first start alongside Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, with Dorothy Wall ruled out due to a knock. Clohessy is the daughter of former Ireland men’s international Peter Clohessy. Behind them, Brittany Hogan starts at blindside flanker, captain Erin King wears the seven shirt, and Jemima Adams Verling anchors the scrum at number eight.
Among the replacements, Sophie Barrett and Kate Jordan are included in a matchday 23 for the first time, while Alana McInerney earns a spot on the bench following strong performances for Munster in the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship. Beth Buttimer and Sadhbh McGrath provide additional front-row cover, rounding out a heavily reinforced forward contingent.
Backline Rotation and Debutants
In the backline, Niamh Gallagher shifts to full-back, while Béibhinn Parsons and Robyn O’Connor occupy the wings, replacing Stacey Flood and Vicky Elmes Kinlan respectively. Anna McGann continues at outside centre following an impressive outing in Galway, and Aoife Dalton rotates into the inside centre role in place of Eve Higgins. At half-back, Emily Lane swaps in for Aoibheann Reilly at scrum-half to partner out-half Dannah O’Brien.
The bench features half-back Aoibheann Reilly, utility back Enya Breen, and Alana McInerney alongside Grace Moore, providing tactical flexibility for the closing stages of the match. Saturday’s encounter represents the final test for Bemand’s squad before their departure for a two-match tour against the Springbok Women in South Africa on October 24 and 31, according to irishrugby.ie.
Ireland face Japan at Virgin Media Park
- Fixture: Ireland vs. Japan (Second Test)
- Date: Saturday
- Kick-off Time: 2:00 PM
- Venue: Virgin Media Park, Cork
- Broadcasting: Live on IrishRugby+
- Tickets: Available via General Sale on Ticketmaster
Frequently Asked Questions About the Match
Where can I watch the Ireland vs. Japan rugby match live?
The match from Virgin Media Park in Cork is streamed live on IrishRugby+. Kick-off is scheduled for 2 pm on Saturday.
Why is Aoife Wafer missing from the Ireland squad?
Aoife Wafer is sitting out the fixture as she continues her recovery from an ankle injury picked up in training. Scrum coach Denis Fogarty stated that while she is tracking well, the team chose to err on the side of caution rather than risk her.
Who are the uncapped players named in the matchday squad?
Ulster’s Sophie Barrett, Leinster’s Kate Jordan, and Munster’s Alana McInerney are all in line to make their senior international debuts from the replacements bench.