Image source, InphoImage caption, O'Connor was included in the Six Nations squad after impressing for the Wolfhounds in the Celtic Challenge
ByMatt GaultBBC Sport NI senior journalist- Published53 minutes ago
Robyn O'Connor will make her Ireland debut as head coach Scott Bemand makes three changes for Saturday's Women's Six Nations match against Italy in Galway.
The 20-year-old Leinster player, who previously represented Ireland in the sevens code, replaces Vicky Elmes Kinlan on the left wing.
Centre Nancy McGillivray and second row Ruth Campbell also come into the side with Eve Higgins and Dorothy Wall dropping to the bench for the game at Dexcom Stadium (17:40 BST), which hosts a Six Nations fixture for the first time.
"She's a really tough player," Bemand said of O'Connor, who scored five tries to help the Wolfhounds retain the Celtic Challenge earlier this year.
"She's got physicality, change of direction, she's a great stepper and that's perhaps not as prevalent in the women's game and that creates attacking moments and opportunities for us.
"She knows her way to the try line and she's an excellent fielder of a rugby ball. She has played quite a bit at full-back in her formative years so anything going up in the air we know she's confident."
Former co-captain Sam Monaghan is named on the bench after recovering from injury, while prop Sadhbh McGrath also comes into the matchday squad.
Ireland opened the Six Nations with a 33-12 loss to England at Allianz Stadium, while Italy were beaten 40-7 by France in Grenoble.
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O'Connor is joined in the back three by full-back Stacey Flood and Galway-born winger Beibhinn Parsons, while McGillivray partners the experienced Aoife Dalton in midfield.
With scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly not fit enough to return, Emily Lane continues alongside fly-half Dannah O'Brien, who drew praise from Bemand during his Thursday news conference.
"Dannah's done a lot of her growing up and performance development in the public eye," he said.
"As an 18, 19-year-old, she was carrying the can really and doing a lot of the leading.
"Fly-half in the northern hemisphere is the driver of the game, so we're challenging, stretching and supporting Dannah to do more on and off the pitch in terms of getting up front and speaking to people.
"And how she speaks in front of people is chalk and cheese compared to two years ago."
Ireland v Italy
Women's Six Nations
Saturday, 18 April, kick-off 17:40 BST
Dexcom Stadium
Watch live on BBC iPlayer and online; live text and video highlights on BBC Sport website and app
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Nancy McGillivray has played her way into the starting line-up after an effective display off the bench against England
Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang form an unchanged front row, while Campbell joins Fiona Tuite in the second row.
Captain Erin King, Brittany Hogan and Aoife Wafer are retained in the back row.
Neve Jones, Niamh O'Dowd, Monaghan and Wall provide experience on the bench, with Katie Whelan set to earn her second cap and Anna McGann hoping to make another impact after marking her second-half introduction with a try against England.
Ireland scored eight tries to hammer Italy 54-12 in Parma last year but the Azzurre claimed a shock 27-21 win at Dublin's RDS Arena in 2024.
Bemand, however, says his squad have taken a poor start against England that led to a 21-0 half-time deficit "to heart" and insisted there will be "no hangover" this week.
"We understand what we're trying to do. We understand how we're going to execute it.
"We've got to a space where we believe it'll withstand under pressure so now it's just about having the confidence to go an execute that plan."
Ireland team to face Italy
Ireland: Flood; Parsons, Dalton, McGillivray, O'Connor; O'Brien, Lane; Perry, Moloney-MacDonald, Djougang, Campbell, Tuite, Hogan, King (capt), Wafer.
Replacements: Jones, O'Dowd, McGrath, Wall, Monaghan, Whelan, Higgins, McGann.
