Amee-Leigh Costigan will captain Ireland for the first time in a Test match in Saturday’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations opener against France at the Kingspan Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 1 PM.
Head Coach Scott Bemand has made just four changes to the starting team from Ireland’s last game, a 26-14 victory against the USA that secured them a third-place finish in WXV1. Costigan, who has previously led Ireland's Sevens team, is entering her official captaincy against a formidable French side.
In a notable lineup change, Anna McGann will take over the right wing position, stepping in for the retired Eimear Considine. Meanwhile, Eve Higgins, previously on the bench against the USA, will start in midfield, and Dannah O’Brien returns at outhalf. Ruth Campbell is also making her Championship debut, taking her place in the second row.
With Edel McMahon returning to the match-day squad on the bench, Ireland is recovering from injuries that have sidelined key players. Notably, Sam Monaghan will miss the tournament, and Beibhinn Parson remains out after suffering a second broken leg within just four months last December. On a positive note, Stacey Flood has recovered from an ankle injury that required surgery six weeks ago, reclaiming her spot at fullback against the French.
As for the backrow, Bemand has implemented a tactical shift, placing Brittany Hogan at blindside flanker. Erin King, who was named World Rugby Women’s Breakthrough Player of the Year, is making her Six Nations debut at openside flanker, with Aoife Wafer rounding out the lineup at number eight.
In an effort to counteract France’s physical style of play, Ireland will deploy a 6-2 split on their bench. This includes Cliodhna Moloney, Siobhán McCarthy, Christy Haney, Grace Moore, and Fiona Tuite, alongside the returning McMahon, while Aoibheann Reilly and Enya Breen serve as the backline replacements. "Tricky [aka McMahon] is going to come off the bench as a finisher, which is where I believe the game will be won and lost," Bemand commented.
Reflecting on Costigan’s leadership qualities, Bemand noted, "Amee-Leigh, ever since coming back in from the Sevens programme, has been an absolute role-model leader in this environment. We believe she’s the voice of the group. If she tells the girls, 'Do you know what, we can cope,' they will know we can cope. If she tells them, 'Girls, we need to ramp this up,' they'll ramp it up. We've got somebody that embodies what we’re trying to become as a group." In reference to managing the match's dynamics, he added, "There’s some disappointed backs, when they’re fighting for two spots. Part of what we’ve got in Ireland is a dynamic back five, and we want to be able to light that up. We believe the cavalry coming on to finish the game can hopefully set us up to get what we want to out of this fixture."
The match will be televised live on Virgin Media One and BBC Northern Ireland, with live radio commentary available on RTÉ Radio 1.
Turning to the French side, co-captains Manae Feleu and Marine Menager lead a squad eager to reclaim their former glory, having last won the Women’s Six Nations title in 2018. The team has made some critical adjustments since they last played against New Zealand in WXV1 back in October 2024. With a goal of generating momentum, they will be eager to start the tournament on a strong note against the Irish.
Feleu, starting in second row, will partner with Madoussou Fall-Raclot, while Agathe Sochat returns at hooker and Yllana Brosseau at loosehead prop, with Rose Bernadou taking up the tighthead position, replacing the injured Assia Khalfaoui. Furthermore, Seraphine Okemba and Lea Champon are making their first Six Nations appearances, showcasing France’s commitment to developing new talent.
France’s experienced squad features Carla Arbez at fly-half and Pauline Bourdon Sansus, the most-capped player in their lineup, at scrum-half. The centre partnership remains the same, with Gabrielle Vernier and Nassira Konde continuing their collaboration from previous matches. Morgane Bourgeois will start at full-back, while Mélissande Llorems Vignères occupies the right wing.
Despite finishing second from last at WXV after only one win against the USA, France's coaches aim to revitalize their performance on the international stage. They will look to replicate the success of their men’s team in the Men’s Six Nations and build upon the talent exhibited throughout their roster.
As the teams gear up for this highly-anticipated opener, the stakes are high for both sides, with Ireland looking to build on their last victory and France aiming to push back into the championship discussion.
