Adam Griggs has made three changes to the Ireland side for Saturday's Women's Six Nations in association with Guinness clash with Italy. 

However, the head coach was forced to clarify comments he'd made regarding the running of the domestic game before explaining his team selection.

Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Stacey Flood and Brittany Hogan are come into the starting XV for the game at Energia Park.

Lauren Delany, Hannah Tyrell and Claire Molloy are the players to make way, with Molloy not even on the bench.

Griggs revealed that the former captain isn't injured, adding, "We had a conversation with Claire earlier on in the week, just around some of the performances.

"And she's got things that she can still work on at the moment.

"Around those players coming into the starting side, I suppose over the last six months we've talked about the depth of this side and building competition.

"I wouldn't be true to my word if we weren't giving some of these other players a shot.

"Certainly when you look at Stacey [Flood], I think in the last two games she's come on and made a real difference for us.

In that 10 position it's really important that throughout the week you take control and ownership of how the team is steered. Hannah's [Tyrell] had that opportunity the last couple of weeks, and this week we thought it was a good time to see how Stacey goes leading the team.

"Similar with Brittany - I think her two performances - she's been really good coming off the bench as well. We see her as a bit of hybrid that can cover that second row, but also probably her future is also as a back rower. She's very dynamic, good ball carrier, and really solid at the breakdown.

"It's about giving these players an opportunity to start, and obviously perform themselves."

After of last week's defeat to France, the issue of who exactly runs the women's game in Ireland was put to Griggs. "It would be people above me in the IRFU", was his sheepish reply.

Pressed further, Griggs said, "I couldn't tell you... I couldn't tell you".

The head coach opened his Thursday press conference with an attempt to pad out those earlier answers.

"I fielded a question on Tuesday, just around the domestic game, and who was in charge and on reflection I probably wasn't as clear as I could've been," Griggs said.

"So I think it's important to acknowledge the work that Collie McEntee, Amanda Greensmith and the domestic game do in running our pathway, and also our interprovincial series.

"Hopefully that can clear up some of the comments that were made."

McEntee is Director of Rugby Development at the IRFU, while Greensmith is the association's' Women's Development Manager.

Asked about his inability to offer clear answers last week, Griggs said, "I think I probably got put on the spot a little bit.

"I didn't want to come across that we were putting it [the game's running] under any one person.

"As I stated, it's the whole organisation running this thing, and obviously there's different departments that will take care of different parts of the organisation.

"It was just something that I thought... at the time, on the spot, obviously wasn't as clear as I probably could have been."

Ireland team v Italy: 

15. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster)(17 caps)
14. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)(1)
13. Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)(2)
12. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)(40)
11. Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht)(10)
10. Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)(2)
9. Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)(12)

1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)(33)
2. Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)(25)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(11)
4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)(15)
5. Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)(17)
6. Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/ Munster)(6)
7. Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster)(3)
8. Ciara Griffin (Captain)(UL Bohemian/Munster)(35)

Replacements:
16. Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)(2)
17. Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)(18)
18. Leah Lyons (Harlequins/IQ Rugby)(25)
19. Grace Moore (Railway Union/IQ Rugby)*
20. Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)(4)
21. Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster)(2)
22. Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)(19)
23. Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/Munster)(5)

* Denotes uncapped player

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