Cap numbers game not a concern, insists McWilliams

The Ireland backs that line out in Cork on Saturday will have an average of less than five caps each but Greg McWilliams insists he has no worries about the disparity with an experienced French backline.

Les Bleues hand a debut to full-back Morgan Bourgeois and out-half Carla Arbez made her debut in last weekend's win over Italy but the rest of the backline have a total of 196 caps.

Ireland are operating without their sevens players and have lost Enya Breen to injury but, starting into a first campaign under professional contracts, the head coach says he is not concerned that his backs' caps total is 32, 13 of which belong to wing Aoife Doyle.

"No, I mean that now," he told reporters as Ireland bid to recover from a sobering 31-5 loss to Wales in round one.

"These are the right players right now. They’re available, they’re ready to go, they’re talented, they’re hard-working.

"You’ve got a group of young Irish women who have been brave this week in terms of looking inside themselves as individuals and as a group.

"And to see their response, these are the right people and it's not just the 23, it’s the 26/32, it’s the other players on the periphery.

"If you’re in amongst it and you’re seeing their ability to come together and get tight. It was a harsh lesson last week.

"It was a difficult time but their response is what you want to see from a group of Irish women who’re ready to go out and represent their country.

"They understand, they own their performance. They were honest they worked hard this week, they understand what's needed to be done and they’ve gone about it and you’re just looking forward to seeing the response this week.

"There’s lots of great support out there and you’re just hoping that they can see a team that are