Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Dorothy Wall has been drafted into the starting line-up
ByMatt GaultBBC Sport NI senior journalist- Published55 minutes ago
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has made one change to his starting XV for Saturday's Women's Six Nations trip to France.
Dorothy Wall replaces Ruth Campbell in the second row in the only alteration from the line-up that started last week's resounding 57-20 win over Italy in Galway.
On the bench, Eilis Cahill is named as the back-up tight-head prop as Sadhbh McGrath drops out of the squad.
Ireland are aiming for a first away win over France and a first Women's Six Nations victory since a 13-10 win in Donnybrook in 2017.
France also recovered from a 13-0 deficit to win last year's World Cup quarter-final 18-13, but Bemand insists Saturday's game is "not about revenge".
"It's the next game and where we are in our cycle," said Bemand.
"This is our next opportunity to get a performance out there. We've got a great squad that are starting to ask better questions of selection. We've left some really talented players out of the 23.
"Where we are, how we're going, we're tracking in the right direction."
France v Ireland
Women's Six Nations
Saturday 25 April, 20:10 BST
Stade Marcel-Michelin, Clermont
Watch on iPlayerLive on BBC Two NI and BBC Sport website and app
Bemand has stuck with the same backline after a free-flowing attacking performance that yielded nine tries in Galway.
Stacey Flood continues at full-back with right wing Beibhinn Parsons hoping to build on her hat-trick against the Italians. On the opposite wing, Robyn O'Connor is retained after her try-scoring debut in Galway.
Aoife Dalton and Nancy McGillivray continue in midfield with Dannah O'Brien and Emily Lane - who has three try assists in this year's tournament - remaining in the half-backs.
Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang form an unchanged front row, with Wall recalled to partner Fiona Tuite in the second row after dropping to the bench for the Italy game.
The in-form back row includes Aoife Wafer, who recaptured her best form against Italy, captain Erin King and Brittany Hogan.
The Ireland players have been vocal about their ambition of breaking into the top two in the Six Nations, but Bemand does not feel as though Saturday's game will make or break Ireland's campaign.
"In the grand schemes of things, I don't think it does [make or break their championship], with the start of a new World Cup cycle," he said.
"We want to keep getting better. We want to keep closing the gap. That's one of the key things for us.
"The game against England, we let them get to a start that we didn't want. France's two games, they've only got going in the second half. So for us, the ability to get a good start is going to be really important for us.
"But we know France are a different entity in France. They're going to have a full stadium behind them. So we know it's the toughest place to go."
Ireland team to face France
Ireland: Flood; Parsons, Dalton, McGillivray, O'Connor; O'Brien, Lane; Perry, Moloney-MacDonald, Djougang, Wall, Tuite, Hogan, King (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Jones, O'Dowd, Cahill, Campbell, Monaghan, Whelan, Higgins, McGann.
