Ireland Women seek high finishing spot

(Pic. courtesy IRFU website)

JUST pipped for a first Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final place, Ireland face USA tomorrow (Wednesday) in search of a very respectable fifth finishing spot.

They have made a few changes for the game with Yvonne Nolan at hooker and Gillian Bourke moving to prop.

Sinead Ryan starts in the back row, Louise Beamish starts again at scrum half while Joanne O'Sullivan moves to out-half.

Shannon Houston forms a new centre partnership with Lynne Cantwell who won her 60th cap against the Kazakhs.

The winners of this game will take on either Canada or Scotland in next Sunday's 5th-6th place play-off.

Joy Neville wins her 52nd cap and will be seeking to add to her four tries so far in the tournament.

IRELAND WOMEN'S TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v USA Women, 2010 Women's Rugby World Cup play-offs, Surrey Sports Park, Wednesday, September 1, kick-off 4.30pm):

15, Niamh Briggs (Clonmel/Munster)

14, Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster)

13, Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemians)

12, Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster)

11, Eliza Downey (Cooke/Ulster)

10, Joanne O'Sullivan (Richmond/Exile)

9, Louise Beamish (UL Bohemian/Munster)

1, Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt)

2, Yvonne Nolan (Blackrock/Leinster)

3, Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster)

4, Kate O'Loughlin (Clonmel/Munster)

5, Marie Louise Reilly (Navan/Leinster)

6, Orla Brennan (Blackrock/Leinster)

7, Sinead Ryan (Blackrock/Leinster)

8, Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster)

Replacements:

16, Chris Fanning (Highfield/Munster)

17, Louise Austin (UL Bohemians/Munster)

18, Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians/Munster)

19, Carol Staunton (Galwegians/Connacht)

20, Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)

21, Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)

22, Mairead Kelly (UL Bohemians/Munster)

Ireland Women's Rugby World Cup Results/Fixtures:

Pool B:

England 27 Ireland 0, Surrey, Friday, August 20

USA 12 Ireland 22, Surrey, Tuesday, August 24

Ireland 37 Kazakhstan 3, Surrey, Saturday, August 27.