Fiona Coghlan will captain the side for the second successive season after helping Ireland to a third-place finish for the second year on the bounce in 2010 and guiding Ireland to seventh in the World Cup – their best ever placing.

Scrum-half Tania Rosser will miss the opening game in Italy due to an injury she picked up during the World Cup but Ulster prop Lauren Day returns after missing the event in England.

“The dedication of the players has been excellent, both in their individual attention and motivation and as a squad,” said Doyle.

“We recognise the potential of the squad while respecting the challenges ahead, the first of which is to start the Six Nations campaign against Italy away with a good performance.

“Being the first game of the championship means we have little knowledge of the opposition so our concentration is to be accurate as possible throughout the game with and without the ball."

Ireland Women's Squad:
Gillian Bourke (Munster/Bristol), Niamh Briggs (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Lynne Cantwell (Exile/Richmond), Fiona Coghlan (Leinster/ UL Bohemians), Amy Davis (Leinster/Blackrock)
Lauren Day (Ulster/Waterloo), Ailis Egan (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Siobhan Fleming (Munster/ Tralee RFC), Laura Guest (Munster/Highfield RFC), Ashling Hutchings (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Niamh Kavanagh (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Mairead Kelly (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Stacey Kennedy (Ulster/City of Derry), Emer McManamly (Leinster/Blackrock), Claire Molloy (Connacht /Bristol), Larissa Muldoon (Exile/UWIC), Joy Neville (Munster/ UL Bohemians), Gill Nolan (Leinster/St Marys), Deirdre O'Brien (Leinster/Blackrock), Heather O'Brien (Munster/ Highfield RFC), Geraldine Rea (Munster/ Highfield RFC), Marie Louise Reilly (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Jackie Shiels (Leinster/Richmond), Nora Stapleton (Leinster/Old Belvedere), Carol Staunton (Connacht/Galwegians)