Women’s Rugby World Cup: Ireland co-captain Monaghan fit to face New Zealand but Wafer still missing

Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan has been named in the Ireland team to face New Zealand in Sunday’s Rugby World Cup Pool C decider in Brighton but star forward Aoife Wafer is not included in the matchday squad.

Monaghan had been forced off in last week’s win over Spain as “a precaution” but has been deemed fit enough to take her place in the starting XV.

Key back row Wafer missed Ireland’s wins over Japan and Spain in their opening two games as she recovered from knee surgery in July but had been regarded as being in contention to face the defending champions.

Earlier this week, Ireland assistant coach Denis Fogarty had said this year’s Six Nations player of the tournament was “continuing her progression” as she returned from injury.

Wafer joined up with the Irish squad after the opening win over Japan after continuing her rehab in Dublin.

He said the 22-year-old had returned to full contact “in a controlled area” and she will return to the “team environment”.

The Ireland team named for the encounter with the Black Ferns sees six personnel changes from last week’s victory over Spain, with one positional change as back row Grace Moore moving from number eight to openside flanker.

Wing Beibhinn Parsons comes in, along with scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly, while among the forwards hooker Neve Jones, second row Ruth Campbell, co-captain Edel McMahon and number eight Brittany Hogan are all drafted in.

Anna McGann, Cliodhna Moloney, Eimear Corri-Fallon and Claire Boles move to the replacements’ bench while Molly Scuffil-McCabe and Fiona Tuite drop out of the matchday squad.

Both teams have qualified for the quarter-finals and whoever comes out on top in Brighton on Sunday will progress to the last eight as Pool winners.

Ireland stunned reigning world champions New Zealand in WXV1 last September and will hope for a repeat at Brighton & Hove Albion Stadium.