12 Leinster players have been named in the Combined Provinces XV Match Day Squad, for Saturday’s Celtic Challenge game against the WRU Development XV at Kingspan Stadium (Kick-off 4.30pm, live on the Irish Rugby YouTube channel).

The Combined Provinces XV have enjoyed two wins in the inaugural Celtic Challenge tournament to date, beating the WRU Development XV in Cardiff before defeating The Thistles in Belfast last time out.

Number 8 Hannah O’Connor captains the side once more, and is joined by six other Leinster players in the starting lineup selected by head coach Greg McWilliams.

Aoife Dalton starts at centre, with Natasja Behean on the wing. Dannah O’Brien (pictured below) and Molly Scuffil-McCabe continue their half-back partnership, that impressed in the Women’s Interpros.

In the pack, Christy Haney starts in the front row, with Molly Boyne joining O’Connor in the back row.

On the bench, there are places for an all-Leinster front row of Jess Keating, Niamh O’Dowd and Linda Djougang, with Ailsa Hughes and Aoife Wafer also featuring.

The squad are building towards the TikTok Women’s Six Nations, which gets underway on Saturday, 25th March as Ireland open their Championship against Wales in Cardiff.

Combined Provinces XV (v WRU Development XV):
15. Ella Durkan (Ulster/Blackrock College RFC)
14. Aoife Doyle (Munster/Railway Union RFC)
13. Aoife Dalton (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
12. Kayla Waldron (Connacht/Galwegians RFC)
11. Natasja Behan (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
9. Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster/Railway Union RFC)
1. Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster/Cooke RFC)
2. Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Munster/Old Belvedere RFC)
3. Christy Haney (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
4. Clodagh O’Halloran (Munster/UL Bohemians RFC)
5. Fiona Tuite (Ulster/Old Belvedere RFC)
6. Brittany Hogan (Ulster/Old Belvedere RFC)
7. Molly Boyne (Leinster/Railway Union RFC/Dublin University FC)
8. Hannah O’Connor (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)(captain)

Replacements:
16. Jess Keating (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
17. Niamh O’Dowd (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
18. Linda Djougang (Leinster/Old Belvedere RFC)
19. Claire Bennett (Munster/UL Bohemians RFC)
20. Maeve Óg O’Leary (Munster/Blackrock College RFC)
21. Ailsa Hughes (Leinster/Railway Union RFC)
22. Aoife Wafer (Leinster/Blackrock College RFC)
23. Meabh Deely (Connacht/Blackrock College RFC)