Corri-Fallon among replacements for Ireland's Pool C decider against New Zealand

Laois’s Eimear Corri-Fallon has been named among the replacements for Ireland’s crucial Pool C decider this Sunday against the reigning World Champions, New Zealand.

The Portlaoise powerhouse came off the bench for a 20-minute cameo in Ireland’s opening game at the Rugby World where she played her part in an impressive win over Japan.

Corri-Fallon was rewarded with a start against Spain last time out where she played the entire game, putting in a serious shift in the pack.

Co-captain Sam Monaghan will start in the second row alongside Kildare’s Ruth Campbell, with Corri-Fallon waiting in the wings – ready, willing and more than capable of having a big impact if and when she is called upon.

Ireland and New Zealand both come into this game with 100% records from their first two fixtures, meaning Sunday’s clash will be a playoff for top spot in Pool C.

The prize for the winners will be a quarter-final against the Pool D runners-up in Sandy Park, home of former European Champions Exeter Chiefs; while the losers will face the Pool D winners, likely to be France, also in Sandy Park.

The Black Ferns will go into the game as heavy favourites, having won six of the last seven Women’s Rugby World Cups going back to 1998.

Ireland have had New Zealand’s number when the two teams have collided in the past, holding a 2-1 record against the Kiwis, including a shock victory at the 2014 World Cup as well as a win in last year’s WXV tournament.

Irish Head Coach Scott Bemand will be hoping the venue for the game will be a good omen; Ireland v New Zealand takes place in the AmEx Stadium, home of Premier League side Brighton, and the site of one of the most famous upsets in rugby history – the Brighton Miracle – where Japan shocked the world by beating South Africa at the 2015 Men’s World Cup.