IRELAND HAVE MADE three changes to their starting team for Saturday’s third-place play-off against Italy in Dublin in the Women’s Six Nations [KO 12pm, RTÉ 2].

Stacey Flood, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, and Brittany Hogan have all been named for their first Test starts.

7s internationals Flood and Murphy Crowe have already made their 15s debuts off the bench during this Six Nations but will now get their first starts at out-half and on the right wing, respectively. 

Hannah Tyrrell drops to the bench as Flood comes into the number 10 shirt, while Lauren Delany misses out on the matchday 23.

Hogan, meanwhile, will start at openside flanker, having come off the bench in the second row in Ireland’s games against Wales and France. Claire Molloy, who started both of those fixtures at openside, is absent from the matchday 23.

There is another possible Ireland debut from among the replacements, with Railway Union back row Grace Moore in line to win her first cap. Leah Lyons has been brought onto the Ireland bench in the number 18 shirt.

Ireland (v Italy):

15. Eimear Considine 
14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe 
13. Eve Higgins 
12. Sene Naoupu
11. Beibhinn Parsons
10. Stacey Flood
9. Kathryn Dane

1. Lindsay Peat 
2. Cliodhna Moloney 
3. Linda Djougang 
4. Aoife McDermott
5. Nichola Fryday 
6. Dorothy Wall 
7. Brittany Hogan
8. Ciara Griffin (captain)

Replacements:

16. Neve Jones 
17. Laura Feely
18. Leah Lyons
19. Grace Moore
20. Hannah O’Connor 
21. Emily Lane
22. Hannah Tyrrell
23. Enya Breen.