Jemima Adams Verling will make her Ireland debut against the United States in the WXV Global Series at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday.
Ireland open their 2026-27 season on home soil, with the 20-year-old Connacht flanker named in the back row alongside captain Erin King and Aoife Wafer. The match begins at 1.45pm.
A first Test in Tallaght
The USA fixture is the first senior international to be staged at Tallaght Stadium. It gives Ireland's new season a proper sense of occasion, and the selection of Adams Verling gives it a personal edge too.
She came through Ireland's player development pathway and played in the 2024 U18 Women's Six Nations Festival. Last season, she featured in the U21 Women's Six Nations Series as Ireland won all of their matches, and she has since impressed for Connacht in the Vodafone interprovincial championship.
The opening step matters
Scott Bemand's team have three home matches in this autumn block. Japan follow in Galway and Cork, but the first job is the USA. Ireland have named Stacey Flood at full-back, with Dannah O'Brien and Emily Lane selected as the half-back pairing.
A debut at home can be a lovely thing. It can also be an immediate test of nerve. Adams Verling has earned the shirt. Now Tallaght gets to see what she does with it.
Reporting: The Irish Times