Ireland's Mcmahon Fit To Start World Cup Opener

Women's Rugby World Cup - Pool C: Ireland v Japan

Venue: Franklin's Gardens, Northampton Date: Sunday, 24 August Kick-off: 12:00 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC Two, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and app.

Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon has recovered from wounded to commencement Sunday's Women's Rugby World Cup Pool C opener against Japan successful Northampton.

Exeter's McMahon did not play successful either of Ireland's 2 warm-up games because of a knee issue, but is named to commencement astatine open-side flanker successful Ivana Kiripati's place.

McMahon will lead nan squad alongside Sam Monaghan, who starts successful nan 2nd row. Monaghan's inclusion astatine fastener intends Fiona Tuite moves into nan backmost statement alongside Ulster team-mate Brittany Hogan and McMahon.

In midfield, caput coach Scott Bemand has selected Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins, pinch Enya Breen dropping to nan chair and Nancy McGillivray not successful nan squad.

Having not been included for nan conclusion by Canada, helping Amee-Leigh Costigan returns to nan backmost 3 alongside Stacey Flood and Beibhinn Parsons, while Aoibheann Reilly and Dannah O'Brien proceed their half-back partnership.

Niamh O'Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang commencement successful an unchanged beforehand row.

Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, nan only subordinate successful Ireland's squad pinch World Cup experience, is nan replacement hooker connected nan chair alongside erstwhile England prop Ellena Perry, who made her Ireland debut successful nan warm-up triumph complete Scotland earlier this month.

Star backmost statement Aoife Wafer - who was named Women's Six Nations subordinate of nan tourney earlier this twelvemonth - was ruled retired by Ireland earlier this week.

Wafer, 22, has remained successful Dublin to proceed her betterment from knee surgery, but is expected to nexus up pinch nan squad aft nan Japan game.

Sunday's crippled astatine Franklin's Gardens will beryllium Ireland's first successful nan World Cup since 2017, having grounded to suffice for nan 2021 tournament.

Wafer, who will subordinate Harlequins from Leinster aft nan tournament, scored 4 tries for Ireland successful nan Six Nations but missed nan past crippled of nan title aft damaging knee ligaments against Wales.

Her fittingness has go progressively important for Ireland pursuing injuries to chap backmost rowers Dorothy Wall and Erin King, who will some miss nan World Cup.

Ireland: Flood; Parsons, Dalton, Higgins, Costigan; O'Brien, Reilly; O'Dowd, Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Monaghan (co-capt), Tuite, McMahon (co-capt), Hogan.

Replacements: Moloney-MacDonald, Perry, McGrath, Corri-Fallon, Moore, Lane, Breen, McGann.