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Cape Town - Ireland's Fiona Coghlan leads the first Barbarians women’s team into action against Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick on Friday.
Captain Coghlan is one of seven Irishwomen in the squad – Marie Reilly and Jackie Shiels are the other starters – and a cosmopolitan team contains players from eight different countries.
All were presented with their match shirts by former Australia and Crusaders coach Robbie Deans after meeting the men’s squad due to take on Tonga later the same day.
For Coghlan, who was educated in Limerick, running out at Thomond in the BaaBaas shirt will be a historic occasion and another marker of the way the global women’s game continues to expand after a successful World Cup was staged in Ireland.
"It’s an important moment for the women’s game and for me it’s very exciting,” said Coghlan. "I started my rugby in Limerick and to be able to come back here after finishing my international career is special.
"This is a great Barbarians squad. I’ve played against these players so many times, we’ve always had good battles on the pitch.
“It’s also great to see the likes of Kelly Russell (Canada) who’ve just come out of a World Cup and to be able to play alongside people like her. We’ve got more than 1,000 caps in the squad.
"We want to go out and play the Barbarians way – exciting to watch and enjoyable to play. It takes hard work to do that and be able to play with that flair but that’s our aim.”
The starting line-up includes veteran New Zealand scrumhalf Emma Jensen while Canada provide Russell and Amanda Thornborough.
There will be a strong French influence with Christelle LeDuff a fluent flyhalf and lock Lenaige Corson will form a powerful second row with Ireland’s Marie Reilly. Sweden wing Tova Derk comes into the side after replacing the injured Camille Grassineau.
Teams:
Munster
TBA
Barbarians
15 Elen Evans (Caernarfon & Wales), 14 Tova Derk (Wasps & Sweden), 13 Vicki Jackson (Wasps & England), 12 Megan Goddard (Gloucester-Hartpury & England), 11 Jackie Shiels (Old Belvedere & Ireland), 10 Christelle LeDuff (SO Villonguet & France), 9 Emma Jensen (College Rifles & New Zealand), 8 Kelly Russell (Toronto Nomads & Canada), 7 Rachel Taylor (Caernarfon & Wales), 6 Susie Brown (Richmond & Scotland), 5 Lenaige Corson (Stade Rennais & France), 4 Marie Reilly (Old Belvedere & Ireland), 3 Claire Cripps (Wasps & England), 2 Amy Garnett (Saracens & England), 1 Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians & Ireland, captain)
Substitutes: 16 Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere & Ireland), 17 Tracy Balmer (Worcester & Scotland), 18 Edel McMahon (Galwegians), 19 Becky Essex (Richmond & England), 20 Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere & Ireland), 21 Amanda Thornborough (Westshore & Canada), 22 Georgina Roberts (Darlington MP Sharks & England), 23 Tania Rosser (Blackrock & Ireland)
