HEAD COACH ADAM Griggs has named eight uncapped players in the Ireland Women squad bound for a training camp in Edinburgh this weekend.
The camp and in-house game against Scotland – coached by ex-Ireland boss Philip Doyle – is the first of two scheduled for Griggs’ side ahead of their sole November Test match against Wales in UCD on 10 November.
Backing up a 26-strong squad are new coaches in the form of IQ Rugby man Steven McGuinness (forwards) and Leinster EPDO Kieran Hallett (defence). They join Griggs’ backroom team in place of Mike Ross and Jeff Carter.
“Each player included in the squad has been selected on their form through the Inter-pro series and the Tyrells Premiership,” said Griggs.
“As well as having a larger squad to travel and play, this will give the coaching group a chance to look at different combinations and give the players a great opportunity to test themselves at an international level and see how they handle the step up in pace and intensity.”
Selecting on inter-pro form has led to call-ups for five uncapped players from champions Leinster as well as Tullamore’s Shannon Tuohey, Fethard’s Dorothy Wall and US-based Mary Healy.
Ireland Women’s Squad for training camp with Scotland
Judy Bobbett (Blackrock College/ Leinster)*
Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Anna Caplice (Harlequins/IQ)
Michelle Claffey (Blackrock College/ Leinster)
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Victoria Dabanovich O’Mahony (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo/ IQ)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Laura Feely (Galweigians/ Connacht)
Nichola Fryday (Old Belvedere/ Connacht)
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Mary Healy (Lindenwood College/IQ)*
Edel McMahon (Wasps/Connacht)
Grace Miller (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)*
Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ)
Larissa Muldoon (Railway Union/Leinster)
Ellen Murphy (Gloucester/ IQ)
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/ Leinster)*
Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union/ Leinster)*
Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/ Connacht)
Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Juliet Short (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Shannon Touhey (Tullamore/ Connacht)*
Dorothy Wall (Fethard/ Munster)*
*Denotes uncapped player at this level
On the latest episode of The42 Rugby Weekly, Andy Dunne tells Murray Kinsella and Gavan Casey about where it all went wrong for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland
