Injury sidelines Ireland's Aoife Wafer for WXV clash with Japan

Aoife Wafer has been ruled out of Sunday’s WXV Global Series match against Japan in Galway after sustaining a minor training injury, the Ireland squad confirmed. Wafer had scored a try in last weekend’s 40-36 defeat by the United States in Tallaght.

Head coach Scott Bemand has responded to the shock loss by making six changes to his matchday selection for the Galway game. Connacht's Beibhinn Parsons, Anna McGann and Aoibheann Reilly are introduced into the backline, while Eilís Cahill is handed her first start for Ireland in the front row. Neve Jones is named at hooker and Brittany Hogan moves into the back row as part of the revised XV.

Bemand has included uncapped hooker Beth Buttimer in the matchday 23 for the first time. The 21-year-old is set to make her Test debut off the bench. Buttimer earned the call-up after impressing for Munster during the Women's Interprovincial Championship.

The United States produced a second-half comeback to win in Tallaght on Sunday, overturning a 31-12 deficit. Four successive tries by the Americans shifted the game’s momentum and produced a 40-36 final score. That match served as the series opener for both sides.

Ireland's named starting XV was Flood; Parsons, McGann, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan; O'Brien, Reilly; O'Dowd, Jones, Cahill; Wall, Tuite-O'Sullivan; Hogan, King (capt), Adams Verling. The replacements are Buttimer, McGrath, Djougang, Clohessy, Moore, Lane, Dalton and Gallagher.

Ireland will meet Japan in Galway on Sunday in the WXV Global Series, with Wafer unavailable for selection for that fixture.