Fryday to play on Saturday for Ireland women's team

Offaly's Nichola Fryday has been named in the Ireland women's rugby team to play Italy in the Six Nations Championship at Energia Park on Saturday (kick-off 6.30pm).

The Kilcormac native, who plays for Connacht, has been selected in the second row alongside Ciara Cooney.

Ailsa Hughes from Tullamore is included among the replacements and the scrum-half is likely to taste action off the bench.

Ballinasloe teenage sensation Béibhinn Parsons will start on the left wing, while the team will be captained by Ciara Griffin.

Ireland head coach Adam Griggs says the entire squad are aware that they are part of a select group of people permitted to play competitive rugby at the moment.

"We are privileged to represent our country and be one of the only teams actually playing in these times. It’s not lost on us and we want to make sure that we perform really well and give everyone watching something to cheer about come the final whistle,” said Griggs.

There is potential for three Ireland debuts off the bench on Saturday with uncapped forwards Neve Jones, Katie O’Dwyer and Brittany Hogan all securing places in the match-day squad.

Speaking about team selection, Griggs says: “I think the beauty of what we’ve got now is such a competitive wider squad and some of those selections weren’t as straightforward as you think. Some of those players who’ve missed out can take credit for how hard they’ve pushed these girls.”

Meanwhile, there are four uncapped players included in the Ireland men's squad for their Six Nations clash with Italy at the Aviva Stadium, also on Saturday (kick-off 3.30pm).

Will Connors and Hugo Keenan are named in the starting XV, while Ed Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park are in line for their international debuts off the bench.

With Bundee Aki and Garry Ringrose selected in the centre, Robbie Henshaw has to be content with a place on the bench.

The match-day squads for both the Ireland women and men's are listed below.

Ireland women's team v Italy

15. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/ Munster)

14. Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/ IQ Rugby)

13. Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster)

12. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)

11. Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/ Connacht)

10. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)

9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/ Ulster)

1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/ Leinster)

2. Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/ IQ Rugby)

3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)

4. Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/ Connacht)

5. Ciara Cooney (Wasps / IQ Rugby)

6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/ Munster)

7. Claire Molloy (Wasps / IQ Rugby)

8. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/ Munster), captain

Replacements

16. Neve Jones (Malone/ Ulster)

17. Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union/ Leinster)

18. Laura Feely (Blackrock College/ Connacht)

19. Brittany Hogan (Ballynahinch/ Ulster)

20. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/ Leinster)

21. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/ Leinster)

22. Larissa Muldoon (Railway Union/ Leinster)

23. Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock College/ Leinster)

Ireland men's team v Italy

15. Jacob Stockdale (Ulster/Lurgan)

14. Andrew Conway (Munster/Garryowen)

13. Garry Ringrose (Leinster/UCD)

12. Bundee Aki (Connacht/Galwegians)

11. Hugo Keenan (Leinster/UCD)

10. Jonathan Sexton (Leinster/St Mary’s College), captain

9. Conor Murray (Munster/Garryowen)

1. Cian Healy (Leinster/Clontarf)

2. Rob Herring (Ulster/Ballynahinch)

3. Andrew Porter (Leinster/UCD)

4. Tadhg Beirne (Munster/Lansdowne)

5. James Ryan (Leinster/UCD)

6. Caelan Doris (Leinster/UCD)

7. Will Connors (Leinster/UCD)

8. CJ Stander (Munster/Shannon)

Replacements

16. Dave Heffernan (Connacht/Buccaneers)

17. Ed Byrne (Leinster/UCD)

18. Finlay Bealham (Connacht/Corinthians)

19. Ultan Dillane (Connacht/Corinthians)

20. Peter O’Mahony (Munster/Cork Constitution)

21. Jamison Gibson-Park (Leinster)

22. Ross Byrne (Leinster/UCD)

23. Robbie Henshaw (Leinster/Buccaneers)