Ireland vs Spain
Kickoff: 12pm Sunday 31st August
Venue: Franklin's Gardens
Watch on: BBC TWO
Ireland have the chance to secure a spot in the last 8 with a win against Spain on Sunday afternoon. This would then allow for them to take on New Zealand in a pressure-free scenario in which they would fancy their chances of pulling off another upset against the Black Ferns.
Ireland are using this game as an opportunity to flex their depth with multiple changes being made, particularly in the pack. Perry and Moloney-MacDonald both come into the front row having started on the bench against Japan. Corri-Fallon, Moore and Boles also come into a much-changed group. The backs have more continuity with Scuffi-MacCabe and McGann being the only changes. Amee Leigh-Costigan will look to get on the scoresheet again on the left wing and the creative duo of O'Brien and Flood remain which allows the side to keep building an attacking shape in preparation for the New Zealand game.
Spain have made a lot of changes including six up front. The entire front row has been rotated and the back row has been changed significantly also. Amalia Argudo has moved to fullback and Zahia Perez has stepped in at fly half which should give Spain some more control within the game and allow them to contest territory more effectively in the kicking game.
One thing that will give Spain some confidence is the last game these two sides played; the two sides met in 2023 during the WXV 3 tournament in a game which ended with a 15-13 Ireland win. This game does also illustrate just how rapid the improvement of Ireland has been since women's 15-a-side team was given more funding. Ireland have since ascended to WXV 1, a competition in which they have beaten New Zealand and been competitive in every game. The two sides may have separated in ranking but they'll come together for a crucial game this weekend.
Team news
Ireland
Starting XV
1.Ellena Perry 2.Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald 3.Linda Djougang 4.Elmear Corri-Fallon 5.Sam Monaghan
6.Fiona Tuite 7.Claire Boles 8.Grace Moore 9.Molly Scuffil-McCabe 10.Dannah O'Brien
11.Amee Leigh-Costigan 12.Eve Higgins 13.Aoife Dalton 14.Anna McGann 15.Stacey Flood
Bench
16.Neve Jones 17.Siobhan McCarthy 18.Sadhbh McGrath 19.Ruth Campbell
20.Brittany Hogan 21.Emily Lane 22.Enya Breen 23.Nancy McGillivray
Spain
Starting XV
1.Gemma Silva Sierra 2.Marieta Roman Mallen 3.Eider Garcia Fuentes 4.Lourdes Alameda 5.Elena Martinez
6.Lia Pineiro 7.Ana Peralta Baquet 8.Valentina Lucia Perez Marquez 9.Anna Fernandez de Corres 10.Zahia Perez
11.Clara Piquero 12.Claudio Cano 13.Claudia Pena 14.Claudia Perez 15.Amalia Argudo
Bench
16.Cristina Blanco Herrera 17.Laura Delgado 18.Mireia De Andres 19.Anna Puig
20.Monica Castelo 21.Nerea Garcia Rementeria 22.Ariadna Bingbing Vergara Piqueras 23.Lea Ducher
New Zealand vs Japan
Kickoff: 2pm Sunday 31st August
Venue: Sandy Park
Watch on: BBC iPlayer
This should be a very comfortable game for New Zealand given the difference in ranking between the two sides and the head-to-head which is currently 3-0 in New Zealand's favour. The Black Ferns were commanding against Spain but had a few issues when it came to injuries. However, this is a game that shouldn't be affected by any absences for the Black Ferns given the gulf in class between the two teams.
New Zealand have gone with an almost entirely different team to the one that beat Spain with the most notable inclusion being that of Portia Woodman-Wickliffe who started the last game on the bench. Jorja Miller, Alana Bremner and Layla Sae are the three players who will have started both games and all three impressed against Spain. This is a game that the Black Ferns should cruse through with an eye on the game against Ireland next week.
Japan, unlike New Zealand, have a very similar team to the one that started last week. The only change to the starting XV comes on the right wing where Sakura Hatada replaces Misaki Matsumura. Japan were generally pleased with the performance against Ireland and will need to repeat it to avoid a massive defeat to New Zealand.
Team news
New Zealand
Starting XV
1.Chryss Viliko 2.Georgia Ponsonby 3.Tanya Kalounivale 4.Maiakawanakaulani Roos 5.Alana Bremner
6.Jorja Miller 7.Kennedy Tukuafu 8.Layla Sae 9.Risi Pouri-Lane 10.Ruahei Demant
11.Katelyn Vahaakolo 12.Sylvia Brunt 13.Stacey Waaka 14.Portia Woodman-Wickliffe 15.Braxton Sorensen-McGee
Bench
16.Atlanta Lolohea 17.Kate Henwood 18.Veisinia Mahutariki-Fakalelu 19.Laura Bayfield
20.Liana Mikaele-Tu'u 21.Maia Joseph 22.Renee Holmes 23.Theresa Setefano
Japan
Starting XV
1.Sachiko Kato 2.Asuka Kuge 3.Wako Kitano 4.Yuna Sato 5.Otoka Yoshimura
6.Masami Kawamura 7.Iroha Nagata(C) 8.Seina Sato 9.Moe Tsukui 10.Ayasa Otsuka
11.Komachi Imaguki 12.Haruka Hirotsu 13.Mana Furuta 14.Sakurako Hatada 15.Sora Nishimura
Bench
16.Kotomi Taniguchi 17.Manami Mine 18.Nijiho Nagata 19.Ayano Sakurai
20.Jennifer Nduka 21.Megumi Abe 22.Minori Yamamoto 23.Kanako Kobayashi
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