Womens World Cup 2014
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pythagoras
- Warrior Assassin
- Posts: 1414
- Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:33 pm
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Regrettably only saw the highlights. From the little they showed, Niamh Briggs looked WOTM to me, made the 2nd try and converted from the touchline.
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Women's Rugby World Cup Preview: Ireland v KazakhstanVikki McGinn and Sharon Lynch are the two new caps in a much-changed Ireland team which is hoping continue their winning run at the Women's Rugby World Cup against Kazakhstan.
2014 IRB WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP - POOL B: Saturday, August 9
IRELAND WOMEN (1st) v KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN (4th), Marcoussis pitch 3, FFR HQ, 1pm local time/12pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 3 HD/IRB website)
Team News: The Ireland Women's team to play Kazakhstan in their third and final pool game of the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup has been named.
Head coach Philip Doyle has made 10 personnel changes and two positional switches to the team that overcame reigning world champions New Zealand 17-14 in their last outing.
A new look back-line sees full-back Jackie Shiels and wingers Vikki McGinn (pictured below) and Hannah Casey make their first starts of the tournament.
Grace Davitt and Lynne Cantwell continue their centre partnership with Cantwell, Ireland's most-capped player, captaining the side in Fiona Coghlan's absence.
The versatile Tania Rosser, fresh from winning her 50th Ireland cap, moves to out-half with Larissa Muldoon coming in at scrum half.
Hooker Gillian Bourke - one of only two survivors in the pack - is joined by Fiona Hayes and Kerrie-Ann Craddock (pictured below) in the front row.
Orla Fitzsimons, who also makes her first appearance of the tournament, will link up with Laura Guest in the second row.
Paula Fitzpatrick shifts from blindside flanker to number 8, while Sharon Lynch and the returning Siobhan Fleming complete the back row.
Coghlan, Ailis Egan, Sophie Spence, Claire Molloy, Nora Stapleton, Alison Miller and Ashleigh Baxter are all named among the replacements.
Speaking ahead of the third round tie, Doyle said: "Tuesday's win against New Zealand was fantastic and really showed what this team can do. However, it was one game and we still have a lot of rugby to play.
"This World Cup is - and always has been - about our 26-player squad, and we are in a great position that we can use fresh players to maintain our standards and performances to date.
"Kazakhstan are a hugely physical side and we are not underestimating them. They will not be overcome easily."
Saturday's Pool B game, which kicks off at 12pm Irish time, will be televised live on TG4 and Sky Sports 3 HD.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan lie bottom of the pool after conceding 126 points and 21 tries in heavy defeats to New Zealand and the USA.
Both of their tries to date were scored by backs - Oxana Shadrina came off the bench to touch down in the 79-5 loss to the Black Ferns, while captain Anna Yakovleva, who moved from outside centre to out-half for the USA game, gave them a 12th minute lead last time out with a converted try.
Svetlana Karatygina, a 40-year-old lock, is one of the survivors from the sides' last meeting at the 2010 Women's World Cup in England where Ireland claimed a 37-3 victory.
The girls in green had to be patient as they built a 22-3 half-time lead thanks to tries from Niamh Briggs, Joy Neville, Louise Beamish and Orla Brennan. With the bonus point wrapped up, Eliza Downey, Kate O'Loughlin and number 8 Neville touched down in the second half.
The current Kazakhstan squad are coached by New Zealander Adam McDonald and retained their Asian Women's Championship crown in May, beating Japan 49-17 in the deciding clash in Hong Kong.
Buy Match Tickets
Women's Rugby World Cup Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile); Vikki McGinn (Blackrock/Leinster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) (capt), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile); Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kerrie-Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exile), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster).
Replacements: Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht), Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).
KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN: to be confirmed
Referee: Nicky Inwood (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Sara Cox (England), Maria Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy)
Pre-Match Quotes - Philip Doyle (Ireland Women): "There is constant physicality throughout Kazakhstan's game and it is going to be a tough one. Our mindset has to be set piece and patience. The focus is on Kazakhstan. We are guaranteed nothing at the moment.
"We've decided to freshen up the starting team. We're in a great position in that we have got some very fresh people that we didn't use in the first two games. It's all about the 26-player squad.
"These girls have a great chance to come in and keep the standards set in the first two games. We still have to play some experienced ladies. It is a nice balanced team with youth and experience throughout. I'm very happy with our selection."
Niamh Briggs (Ireland Women): "When we got back to the dressing rooms (after Tuesday's win) we were on cloud nine. Then our strength and conditioning coach shoved us into ice baths and recovery became the priority.
"We'd obviously created a bit of history but it will be for nothing if we don't go on to win against Kazakhstan on Saturday afternoon in order to get through to the semi-finals. We've won nothing yet so we've just got to keep our feet on the ground and focus really hard.
"I don't think that I'll ever forget coming out of the tunnel for the start of the national anthems and hearing 'The Fields of Athenry' being sung. A whisper went down the line that it was just like a home match for us."
2014 IRB WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP - POOL B: Saturday, August 9
IRELAND WOMEN (1st) v KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN (4th), Marcoussis pitch 3, FFR HQ, 1pm local time/12pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 3 HD/IRB website)
Team News: The Ireland Women's team to play Kazakhstan in their third and final pool game of the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup has been named.
Head coach Philip Doyle has made 10 personnel changes and two positional switches to the team that overcame reigning world champions New Zealand 17-14 in their last outing.
A new look back-line sees full-back Jackie Shiels and wingers Vikki McGinn (pictured below) and Hannah Casey make their first starts of the tournament.
Grace Davitt and Lynne Cantwell continue their centre partnership with Cantwell, Ireland's most-capped player, captaining the side in Fiona Coghlan's absence.
The versatile Tania Rosser, fresh from winning her 50th Ireland cap, moves to out-half with Larissa Muldoon coming in at scrum half.
Hooker Gillian Bourke - one of only two survivors in the pack - is joined by Fiona Hayes and Kerrie-Ann Craddock (pictured below) in the front row.
Orla Fitzsimons, who also makes her first appearance of the tournament, will link up with Laura Guest in the second row.
Paula Fitzpatrick shifts from blindside flanker to number 8, while Sharon Lynch and the returning Siobhan Fleming complete the back row.
Coghlan, Ailis Egan, Sophie Spence, Claire Molloy, Nora Stapleton, Alison Miller and Ashleigh Baxter are all named among the replacements.
Speaking ahead of the third round tie, Doyle said: "Tuesday's win against New Zealand was fantastic and really showed what this team can do. However, it was one game and we still have a lot of rugby to play.
"This World Cup is - and always has been - about our 26-player squad, and we are in a great position that we can use fresh players to maintain our standards and performances to date.
"Kazakhstan are a hugely physical side and we are not underestimating them. They will not be overcome easily."
Saturday's Pool B game, which kicks off at 12pm Irish time, will be televised live on TG4 and Sky Sports 3 HD.
Meanwhile, Kazakhstan lie bottom of the pool after conceding 126 points and 21 tries in heavy defeats to New Zealand and the USA.
Both of their tries to date were scored by backs - Oxana Shadrina came off the bench to touch down in the 79-5 loss to the Black Ferns, while captain Anna Yakovleva, who moved from outside centre to out-half for the USA game, gave them a 12th minute lead last time out with a converted try.
Svetlana Karatygina, a 40-year-old lock, is one of the survivors from the sides' last meeting at the 2010 Women's World Cup in England where Ireland claimed a 37-3 victory.
The girls in green had to be patient as they built a 22-3 half-time lead thanks to tries from Niamh Briggs, Joy Neville, Louise Beamish and Orla Brennan. With the bonus point wrapped up, Eliza Downey, Kate O'Loughlin and number 8 Neville touched down in the second half.
The current Kazakhstan squad are coached by New Zealander Adam McDonald and retained their Asian Women's Championship crown in May, beating Japan 49-17 in the deciding clash in Hong Kong.
Buy Match Tickets
Women's Rugby World Cup Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile); Vikki McGinn (Blackrock/Leinster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) (capt), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile); Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kerrie-Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exile), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster).
Replacements: Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht), Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster).
KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN: to be confirmed
Referee: Nicky Inwood (New Zealand)
Assistant Referees: Sara Cox (England), Maria Beatrice Benvenuti (Italy)
Pre-Match Quotes - Philip Doyle (Ireland Women): "There is constant physicality throughout Kazakhstan's game and it is going to be a tough one. Our mindset has to be set piece and patience. The focus is on Kazakhstan. We are guaranteed nothing at the moment.
"We've decided to freshen up the starting team. We're in a great position in that we have got some very fresh people that we didn't use in the first two games. It's all about the 26-player squad.
"These girls have a great chance to come in and keep the standards set in the first two games. We still have to play some experienced ladies. It is a nice balanced team with youth and experience throughout. I'm very happy with our selection."
Niamh Briggs (Ireland Women): "When we got back to the dressing rooms (after Tuesday's win) we were on cloud nine. Then our strength and conditioning coach shoved us into ice baths and recovery became the priority.
"We'd obviously created a bit of history but it will be for nothing if we don't go on to win against Kazakhstan on Saturday afternoon in order to get through to the semi-finals. We've won nothing yet so we've just got to keep our feet on the ground and focus really hard.
"I don't think that I'll ever forget coming out of the tunnel for the start of the national anthems and hearing 'The Fields of Athenry' being sung. A whisper went down the line that it was just like a home match for us."
"This doesn't look good Parker"
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
New Zealand are out after Canada drew with England
“That made me feel very special and underlined to me that Ulster is more than a team, it is a community and a rugby family"
Rory Best
Rory Best
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
For me that was a travesty; Canada were the better team and had a try disallowed because the ref couldn't see it grounded. Four red shirts over the ball, not a white one in the vicinity! Definitely a case of the first question.
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
True thought it was a very harsh call even though ball was not visible.Setanta wrote:For me that was a travesty; Canada were the better team and had a try disallowed because the ref couldn't see it grounded. Four red shirts over the ball, not a white one in the vicinity! Definitely a case of the first question.
“That made me feel very special and underlined to me that Ulster is more than a team, it is a community and a rugby family"
Rory Best
Rory Best
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Nearly the same thing happened in the USA-NZ game; indeed I thought the US were denied two perfectly good tries. Don't get me wrong, NZ were by far the better team and would have won anyway, but bar the referee it would have been much closer. Final straw for me was NZ's fifth try where the ball was played back into play by a prostrate NZ player lying on the wrong side of the maul who had been off their feet for at least a minute!
Overall though some great rugby and the smaller teams have closed the gap considerably.
Overall though some great rugby and the smaller teams have closed the gap considerably.
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Inspiring stuff by the ladies, Wee Girly thinks its fab (and it's been the one bit of respite we have had from Spongebob-bloody-Squarepants today).
COYGIG!
COYGIG!
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Ireland will play England in the semi while France will play Canada in the other semi.
It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Amazing, not a SH team in sight; now that does NOT happen very often.
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
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pythagoras
- Warrior Assassin
- Posts: 1414
- Joined: Sun Oct 02, 2011 2:33 pm
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Antipodean women are Sheilas
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Women's Rugby World Cup Semi-Final Preview: Ireland v EnglandEngland stand in the way of the Ireland Women making further history by qualifying for their first ever Women's Rugby World Cup final. A mouth-watering clash awaits at Stade Jean Bouin as the girls in green bid to make it four wins out of four.
2014 IRB WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL: Wednesday, August 13
IRELAND WOMEN (1st, Pool B) v ENGLAND WOMEN (1st, Pool A), Stade Jean Bouin, Paris, 6pm local time/5pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 4 HD/IRB website)
Team News: The Ireland team and replacements to play England in the semi-final of the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup on Wednesday has been named.
Head coach Philip Doyle has named the same side that overcame New Zealand in round 2 of the pool stages, reversing the 10 personnel changes he made for the Kazakhstan game last time out.
Niamh Briggs (pictured below) - Ireland's top scorer in France with 25 points - makes up the back-three along with wingers Ashleigh Baxter and Alison Miller.
Grace Davitt and Lynne Cantwell continue in the centre for their fourth start together of the tournament, with Nora Stapleton and Tania Rosser named as the half-backs.
Captain Fiona Coghlan is joined by hooker Gillian Bourke (pictured below) and Ailis Egan in a settled front row combination, while Sophie Spence and Marie Louise Reilly also reunite in the second row.
Paula Fitzpatrick, who turns 29 today, Claire Molloy and number 8 Heather O'Brien - recovered from her finger injury - feature in a combative back row.
Speaking ahead of the semi-final, Doyle (pictured with assistant coach Greg McWilliams) said: "We have had a fantastic campaign so far and that has only come from hard work and dedication. We don't intend for it to end here."
Wednesday's much-anticipated meeting of the Six Nations rivals, which kicks off at 5pm Irish time, will be televised live on TG4 and Sky Sports 4. There will also be live radio commentary on RTÉ 2fm.
Meanwhile, England Women's boss Gary Street has recalled out-half and captain Katy Mclean in one of six changes to the side that drew 13-13 with Canada.
Mclean links up with scrum half La Toya Mason, who is handed the number 9 jersey. The only other change to the back-line sees Kay Wilson starting on the left wing.
In the pack, tighthead prop Sophie Hemming is set to win her 70th cap, while Lichfield's Victoria Fleetwood starts at hooker and Joanna McGilchrist returns to the second row to team up with Tamara Taylor. Vice-captain Sarah Hunter, Maggie Alphonsi and Alexandra Matthews - deployed at blindside flanker - make up the back row trio.
Ireland and England last met in this year's Six Nations with England taking a 17-10 victory in front of a 15,000-strong crowd at Twickenham.
However, Doyle's charges come into the last-four tie having recorded the stand-out win of the tournament to date, seeing off reigning world champions New Zealand 17-14 in Pool B.
Buy Match Tickets
Women's Rugby World Cup Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster); Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O'Brien (Highfield/Munster).
Replacements: Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile).
ENGLAND WOMEN: Danielle Waterman (Bristol); Katherine Merchant (Worcester), Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), Rachael Burford (Thurrock), Kay Wilson (Bristol); Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) (capt); La Toya Mason (Wasps); Rochelle Clark (Worcester), Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield), Sophie Hemming (Bristol), Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), Alexandra Matthews (Richmond), Maggie Alphonsi (Saracens), Sarah Hunter (Lichfield).
Replacements: Emma Croker (Richmond), Laura Keates (Worcester), Rebecca Essex (Richmond), Marlie Packer (Wasps), Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), Ceri Large (Worcester), Claire Allan (Richmond).
Referee: Amy Perrett (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), Alex Pratt (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 13/8; Draw: 17/1; England to win: 1/2
Pre-Match Quotes - Fiona Coghlan (Ireland Women): "In the Six Nations game we lacked concentration just before half-time and just after half-time as well. England are a team that will punish you, and if they see any lapse in concentration they will take you.
"We've spoken about consistency in games and playing for the full time the ball is in play, and not losing concentration. It is a hard thing to do, but that is something we've been working on and we've seen it come through, particularly in the New Zealand game.
"When the pressure came on in the second half, we actually grew and were more consistent as the second half went on.
"There was a calmness about the pitch, because everyone knew what we were about and what we had to do.
"That's definitely something we will need to bring into this game, again - a similar kind of defensive performance, because I think that's the thing that won the New Zealand game (for us)."
Gary Street (England Women): "This is a hugely experienced (England) side. It is a settled side too, with the core of this team playing three out of the four games in this World Cup.
"Ceri Large has done a great job at out-half for this tournament but it is great to welcome back Katy (Mclean) who is feeling fresh and ready to go.
"Alex Matthews has also been hugely impressive. She brings great power and explosiveness and although she is a young player she has grasped every opportunity we have given her over the World Cup. La Toya, meanwhile, is a very experienced scrum half and featured in the last World Cup final.
"Ireland are a side we know well and they are one of the most improved outfits in international rugby. They play a similar game to us, so it will be a big battle that will come down to who performs best on the day.
"The result in our last match at Twickenham was close, but we were disappointed we let a couple of scores go. Certainly in this semi-final we have got to make sure we take all our chances if we are to make it through to the final."
2014 IRB WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP SEMI-FINAL: Wednesday, August 13
IRELAND WOMEN (1st, Pool B) v ENGLAND WOMEN (1st, Pool A), Stade Jean Bouin, Paris, 6pm local time/5pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 4 HD/IRB website)
Team News: The Ireland team and replacements to play England in the semi-final of the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup on Wednesday has been named.
Head coach Philip Doyle has named the same side that overcame New Zealand in round 2 of the pool stages, reversing the 10 personnel changes he made for the Kazakhstan game last time out.
Niamh Briggs (pictured below) - Ireland's top scorer in France with 25 points - makes up the back-three along with wingers Ashleigh Baxter and Alison Miller.
Grace Davitt and Lynne Cantwell continue in the centre for their fourth start together of the tournament, with Nora Stapleton and Tania Rosser named as the half-backs.
Captain Fiona Coghlan is joined by hooker Gillian Bourke (pictured below) and Ailis Egan in a settled front row combination, while Sophie Spence and Marie Louise Reilly also reunite in the second row.
Paula Fitzpatrick, who turns 29 today, Claire Molloy and number 8 Heather O'Brien - recovered from her finger injury - feature in a combative back row.
Speaking ahead of the semi-final, Doyle (pictured with assistant coach Greg McWilliams) said: "We have had a fantastic campaign so far and that has only come from hard work and dedication. We don't intend for it to end here."
Wednesday's much-anticipated meeting of the Six Nations rivals, which kicks off at 5pm Irish time, will be televised live on TG4 and Sky Sports 4. There will also be live radio commentary on RTÉ 2fm.
Meanwhile, England Women's boss Gary Street has recalled out-half and captain Katy Mclean in one of six changes to the side that drew 13-13 with Canada.
Mclean links up with scrum half La Toya Mason, who is handed the number 9 jersey. The only other change to the back-line sees Kay Wilson starting on the left wing.
In the pack, tighthead prop Sophie Hemming is set to win her 70th cap, while Lichfield's Victoria Fleetwood starts at hooker and Joanna McGilchrist returns to the second row to team up with Tamara Taylor. Vice-captain Sarah Hunter, Maggie Alphonsi and Alexandra Matthews - deployed at blindside flanker - make up the back row trio.
Ireland and England last met in this year's Six Nations with England taking a 17-10 victory in front of a 15,000-strong crowd at Twickenham.
However, Doyle's charges come into the last-four tie having recorded the stand-out win of the tournament to date, seeing off reigning world champions New Zealand 17-14 in Pool B.
Buy Match Tickets
Women's Rugby World Cup Fixtures/Results
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster); Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster), Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile), Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Heather O'Brien (Highfield/Munster).
Replacements: Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster), Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster), Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile), Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile).
ENGLAND WOMEN: Danielle Waterman (Bristol); Katherine Merchant (Worcester), Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), Rachael Burford (Thurrock), Kay Wilson (Bristol); Katy Mclean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks) (capt); La Toya Mason (Wasps); Rochelle Clark (Worcester), Victoria Fleetwood (Lichfield), Sophie Hemming (Bristol), Tamara Taylor (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), Alexandra Matthews (Richmond), Maggie Alphonsi (Saracens), Sarah Hunter (Lichfield).
Replacements: Emma Croker (Richmond), Laura Keates (Worcester), Rebecca Essex (Richmond), Marlie Packer (Wasps), Natasha Hunt (Lichfield), Ceri Large (Worcester), Claire Allan (Richmond).
Referee: Amy Perrett (Australia)
Assistant Referees: Nicky Inwood (New Zealand), Alex Pratt (Scotland)
Match Odds (Paddy Power): Ireland to win: 13/8; Draw: 17/1; England to win: 1/2
Pre-Match Quotes - Fiona Coghlan (Ireland Women): "In the Six Nations game we lacked concentration just before half-time and just after half-time as well. England are a team that will punish you, and if they see any lapse in concentration they will take you.
"We've spoken about consistency in games and playing for the full time the ball is in play, and not losing concentration. It is a hard thing to do, but that is something we've been working on and we've seen it come through, particularly in the New Zealand game.
"When the pressure came on in the second half, we actually grew and were more consistent as the second half went on.
"There was a calmness about the pitch, because everyone knew what we were about and what we had to do.
"That's definitely something we will need to bring into this game, again - a similar kind of defensive performance, because I think that's the thing that won the New Zealand game (for us)."
Gary Street (England Women): "This is a hugely experienced (England) side. It is a settled side too, with the core of this team playing three out of the four games in this World Cup.
"Ceri Large has done a great job at out-half for this tournament but it is great to welcome back Katy (Mclean) who is feeling fresh and ready to go.
"Alex Matthews has also been hugely impressive. She brings great power and explosiveness and although she is a young player she has grasped every opportunity we have given her over the World Cup. La Toya, meanwhile, is a very experienced scrum half and featured in the last World Cup final.
"Ireland are a side we know well and they are one of the most improved outfits in international rugby. They play a similar game to us, so it will be a big battle that will come down to who performs best on the day.
"The result in our last match at Twickenham was close, but we were disappointed we let a couple of scores go. Certainly in this semi-final we have got to make sure we take all our chances if we are to make it through to the final."
"This doesn't look good Parker"
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
"This doesn't look good Parker"
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
Yup, summed up NF pretty well! LOL!
From the rolling glens of Antrim through the hills of Donegal we will stand and shout for Ulster as we win both scrum and maul from the lovely lakes of Fermanagh tae the shores of ould Lough Gall we will scream and shout for Ulster as we beat them one and all!
Re: Womens World Cup 2014
SKY Sports and TG4 5pmDave wrote:This on TV?
“That made me feel very special and underlined to me that Ulster is more than a team, it is a community and a rugby family"
Rory Best
Rory Best