Italy game the target for Monaghan

Sam Monaghan will have to sit out Saturday's Six Nations visit to France but she should be back for the game against Italy on Sunday week.

Co-captain Monaghan, 30, is continuing to follow return-to-play protocols after suffering a head injury while on duty with her club Gloucester-Hartbury.

The former Navan O'Mahonys player won an u-16 All-Ireland with Meath in 2009. She played Gaelic football as a goalkeeper and forward before turning to rugby in England. She has won 18 Irish caps so far and she was odds on to start against the French until she shipped the injury.

Edel McMahon will captain the side from the back row, as Monaghan continues her return to play protocols, with one uncapped player named in the match day squad.

18-year-old Leinster winger Katie Corrigan is selected on the wing for her first cap having impressed Irish coach Scott Bemand and the Ireland coaching team during the recent Celtic Challenge competition.

Corrigan is joined in the back three by Lauren Delany at fullback with Beibhinn Parsons on the other wing.

Nicole Fowley starts at out half, marking her return to the Championship for the first time since 2019. Fowley made her international comeback in October for the WXV3 series in Dubai against Kazakhstan.

Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins make up the centre pairing.

Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Dannah O’Brien and Méabh Deely provide the backline reinforcements on the bench.

Up front, Linda Djougang, Neve Jones and Christy Haney make up the front row, with Dorothy Wall and Hannah O’Connor in the second row. McMahon, is joined in the backrow by Aoife Wafer and Brittany Hogan.

Sarah Delaney, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite and Grace Moore give Bemand strong options from the bench.