THREE Ulster players have been included in head coach Scott Bemand’s 35-player Ireland Women’s XVs squad, sponsored by Aon, ahead of next month’s Test match against Australia in Belfast and the WXV1 campaign in Vancouver.
Seniors newcomer face Sophie Barrett is joined by regulars Brittany Hogan and Fiona Tuite.
The extended squad will assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday in preparation for the visit of the Wallaroos to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, September 14 (kick-off 2.30pm) and then the three-match WXV1 campaign later in September and early October.
Bemand has included 10 uncapped players in his squad, rewarding a number of young players for their performances for Ireland Women’s U20s during the Summer Series in Italy and the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.
Prop Sophie Barrett was an outstanding performer for Niamh Briggs‘ Ireland U20s during the summer and receives her first senior call-up, joining Ruth Campbell, Siobhán McCarthy, Andrea Stock and Ireland Sevens international Erin King as the uncapped forwards in the 35-player panel.
King is one of five Olympians selected by Bemand, with Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe – who have all previously been capped at XVs level – also coming into the squad having been part of Ireland Women’s Sevens’ historic campaign at Paris 2024.
In the backs, there are first senior call ups for Robyn O’Connor and Chisom Ugwueru, who make the step up from Ireland U20s, while Katie Heffernan, Katie Whelan and Alana McInerney – the current top scorer in this season’s Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship – will all be hoping to earn their first Test cap in green.
Ireland Women face Australia in Belfast to mark the start of Irish Rugby’s 150th Year Celebrations before Bemand will reduce his squad to 30 players for the trip to Vancouver, where they will face New Zealand, Canada and USA at WXV1.
In advance of the Kingspan Stadium Test, Bemand has also included six training panellists to link up with the squad at the IRFU High Performance Centre, as Olympians Claire Boles and Vicky Elmes Kinlan are given the opportunity to impress alongside Hannah Clarke and Faith Oviawe of Connacht and Munster duo Jane Clohessy and Caitríona Finn, who have all stood out for their Provinces in recent weeks.
A number of players are unavailable for selection through injury, with Sam Monaghan, Béibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly, Natasja Behan all ruled out of this block, as are Katie Corrigan and Sadhbh McGrath who will continue their respective rehab programmes with the medical team as they near a return to action.
Commenting on the squad announcement, head coach Bemand said: “We are pleased to name our 35-player training squad ahead of an important and busy start to the 2024/25 international season. The Coaching Team have been keeping a close eye on performances during the U20 Summer Series in Italy and, most recently, the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Series, and it is exciting to reward a number of players with first senior call ups.
“The selection of 10 uncapped players is testament to the increased player resource pool we are developing and we feel we have the right mix of youth and Test experience to equip us for the challenges ahead. We look forward to assembling together as a group at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday, laying the ground work for an important block of matches ahead and narrowing the focus on performance, starting with our return to Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.
“We’re excited to take a closer look at all players in training over the next two weeks and this lead in period presents the entire playing group with the opportunity to put their hand up for selection and compete their way into a green jersey for the first match of the season and beyond into WXV1.”
Tickets for Ireland’s match against Australia at Kingspan Stadium are available to purchase here.
Ireland Women’s XVs Squad:
(Club/Province/Caps)
Forwards (19):
Sophie Barrett (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)*
Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(3)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(37)
Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(18)
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(23)
Shannon Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)(3)
Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(26)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)*
Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster)*
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(28)
Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(34)
Grace Moore (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)(15)
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster)(9)
Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(7)
Andrea Stock (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)*
Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(6)
Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(7)
Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(28)
Backs (16):
Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(21)
Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(14)
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(13)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(10)
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(12)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)*
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(17)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(6)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(6)
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(9)
Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(15)
Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster)*
Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster)(16)
Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
Training Panellists (6):
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)(3)
Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht)*
Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)*
Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)*
* denotes uncapped player
Ireland Women’s XVs – Fixtures:
Irish Rugby 150th Year Test Match:
- Saturday, September 14: Ireland v Australia, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm
WXV1:
- Monday, September 30: Ireland v New Zealand, BC Place, 3am Irish time
- Saturday, October 5: Ireland v Canada, Langley Events Centre, 11.45pm Irish time
- Friday, October 11: Ireland v USA, BC Place, 8.30pm Irish time.
