Cill Dara player gearing up for her Six Nations debut this weekend after being named in Irish side

It's been a whirlwind few months for Cill Dara rugby player Áine Donnelly, who, after earning her first cap for the national side against England in November, has been fast-tracked into the starting line up for the Irish ladies side for their Six Nations opener against Wales this weekend. The Cill Dara centre, who also plays with Leinster at provincial level, only took up the game a few years ago as a way of staying active during the winter months, and now, at 28, the pinnacle of her sporting career to date has arrived. She is given the no.13 jersey and will operate beside Connacht's Sene Naoupu, who starts at inside centre. The experienced Niamh Briggs captains the side from full-back, while Donnelly is joined in the starting side by four more of her Leinster teammates, while a further four Leinster players are named on the bench. Kick-off is at 1pm in Ashbourne, Co Meath this Saturday.

Ireland Womens team to face Wales:

15. Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians / Munster) Captain 14. Elise O'Byrne-White (Old Belvedere / Leinster)* 13. Aine Donnelly (Cill Dara / Leinster) 12. Sene Naoupu (Galwegians / Connacht) 11. Mairead Coyne (Galwegians / Connacht) 10. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union / Ulster) 9. Larissa Muldoon (Skewen) 1. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere / Leinster) 2. Zoe Grattage (Tralee / Munster)* 3. Ruth O'Reilly (Galwegians / Connacht) 4. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere / Leinster) 5. Marie-Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere / Leinster) 6. Paula Fitzpatrick (Toulouse) 7. Claire Molloy (Bristol) 8. Heather O'Brien (Toulouse) Replacements 16. Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union / Leinster) 17. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union / Leinster) 18. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemians / Munster) 19. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union / Leinster) 20. Ciara Griffin (Tralee / Munster)* 21. Mary Healy (Galwegians / Connacht) 22. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere / Leinster) 23. Jackie Shiels (Richmond)