Dorothy Wall returns to Ireland team to face France – The Irish Times

Scott Bemand has restored Dorothy Wall to the Ireland starting team for Saturday night’s Six Nations Championship match against France in Clermont Auvergne (8.10pm, Irish time, live on Virgin Media 2). It’s the only change to the side that beat Italy last weekend at the Dexcom stadium. Ruth Campbell drops to the bench.

Bemand has named an unchanged backline for the trip to Clermont, with Stacey Flood, Béibhinn Parsons and last week’s debutant Robyn O’Connor continuing in the back three, while Aoife Dalton and Nancy McGillivray are retained in midfield.

Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien continue their half-back partnership at scrumhalf and out-half respectively. In the pack, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang are named as Ireland’s starting front row for the third successive match, with Dorothy Wall back into the second row to partner Fiona Tuite.

Brittany Hogan continues at blindside flanker, captain Erin King is at openside and Aoife Wafer completes the pack at number eight.

On the bench, Neve Jones, Niamh O’Dowd, Eilís Cahill, Ruth Campbell and Sam Monaghan are the forward replacements available to Bemand, with Katie Whelan, Eve Higgins and Anna McGann the backline options.

Saturday’s match is live on Virgin Media Two and the BBC iPlayer.

Ireland: Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby), Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster); Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster); Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster); Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks), Erin King (Old Belvedere/Leinster, capt), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins). Replacements: Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury), Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian/Munster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), Anna McGann (Railway Union/Connacht).