Monaghan back in as Ireland aim to finish on high
FOR this weary Ireland squad, a tough Six Nations campaign comes to an end against Scotland in Belfast tomorrow evening. You only have to look at the backline which Greg McWiliams named yesterday to get a sense of the challenges facing this group in recent weeks. Injuries and Sevens duty have robbed the Ireland boss of seven frontline backs. Only scrum-half Kathryn Dane could be deemed a first-choice pick among the crew who will be on duty at Kingspan Stadium. Molly Scuffil-McCabe, who made her debut in the 69-0 rout by England in the previous round, shifts to the left wing as full-back Vicky Irwin makes her senior debut while Nikki Caughey is called up to out-half in the injury-enforced absence of Nicole Cronin. At least McWilliams can call upon the services of Sam Monaghan after the Wasps lock missed the England game with a calf injury. Monaghan was a standout performer in the first three rounds with her abrasive defence and deft offloads. She will be central to a forward effort against a Scottish team which have flattered to deceive in this championship. The visitors arrive in Belfast winless after four rounds and rooted to the basement of the table with a points differential of -84. For this depleted Ireland side, it is a chance to finish a difficult campaign on a high. A mid-table finish would just about feel right for this group. There are wider issues for the women’s game which go beyond a result this weekend. Player contracts and a hybrid professional model have been hot topics this week. For now, a win against Scotland would be a significant confidence boost ahead of the tour of Japan in August. It will also be a chance to exact a bit of revenge on the team which put paid to Ireland’s World Cup qualification hopes at that ill-fated tournament in Parma last September. For the likes of Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Edel McMahon and Hannah O’Connor, it will be a chance to set the record straight. IRELAND: V Irwin; A Doyle, S Naoupu, E Breen, M Scuffil-McCabe; N Caughey, K Dane; L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney; N Fryday (capt), S Monaghan; D Wall, E McMahon, H O’Connor. Reps: E Hooban, C Pearse, K O’Dwyer, A McDermott, G Moore, M Og O’Leary, A Hughes, M Claffey.