Ireland's Redemption Quest: McMahon Leads Charge in Parma Six Nations Clash

Ireland's Women Look to Bounce Back in Parma

Fresh off a valiant 27-15 defeat against France, Ireland's women's rugby squad undergoes strategic reshuffling ahead of their Six Nations showdown with Italy at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi. Flanker Edel McMahon reclaims the captain's armband in a bold move by head coach Scott Bemand, who makes three pivotal lineup changes.

Tactical Overhaul

McMahon replaces Brittany Hogan at blindside flanker
Aoibheann Reilly takes scrum-half position from Emily Lane
Fiona Tuite replaces Dorothy Wall in second row

"We're building momentum and the squad is in good health," Bemand told reporters, emphasizing Ireland's narrow miss against 14-player France last weekend. The squad showed particular promise in set-piece execution, winning 92% of their lineouts.

Key Matchup Statistics	Category	Ireland
Avg. Defenders Beaten	18.2	12.7
Ruck Success Rate	94%	88%
Line Breaks	9	5

Historical Context Ireland holds a 6-2 advantage in previous Six Nations meetings, though Italy claimed a dramatic 24-7 victory in their 2022 encounter. This marks Ireland's first visit to Parma's 5,000-capacity rugby fortress since 2019.

Team Lineups

Ireland: Flood; McGann, Dalton, Higgins, Costigan; O'Brien, Reilly; O'Dowd, Jones, Djougang, Campbell, Tuite, McMahon (c), King, Wafer
Italy: TBA (Expected to field 7 Benetton Treviso players)

Broadcast Details 📅 Sunday, 30 March | 🕒 15:00 BST 📺 BBC Two NI & BBC iPlayer

With Italy coming off a 38-5 loss to England and Ireland seeking their first win, this clash promises high-intensity rugby as both teams vie for mid-table positioning. McMahon's leadership will be crucial in containing Italy's dangerous back-row combination of Giada Franco and Beatrice Rigoni.