THE IRFU HAS confirmed the list of 31 centrally contracted players on the women’s high-performance programme for the 2026/27 season.
The latest batch sees four players move onto national contracts for the first time – forwards Sophie Barrett, Kate Jordan, Aoibheann McGrath and Eilís Cahill, who debuted for Ireland during the 2026 Six Nations.
Meanwhile, prop Linda Djougang returns to the centralised system.
Ireland’s Test season kicks-off next month with the WXV Global Series, Scott Bemand’s side playing three home matches before facing South Africa in a two-match Test series in Cape Town in October.
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Ireland play the USA on Sunday, 20 September in the first women’s Test match to be the played in Tallaght Stadium.
We have confirmed the list of centrally contracted players across our Women’s High Performance Programme for the new season.
Next up it’s Japan in Galway’s Dexcom Stadium (Sunday, 27 September) before a return to Cork’s Virgin Media Park to play Japan (Saturday, 3 October), in a clash which falls outside the WXV Global Series window.
IRFU Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, Gillian McDarby, said: “The full-time centralised programme continues to evolve and develop as we look to create the strongest possible High-Performance environment for our players and build towards our long-term ambitions for the women’s game.
“A key part of that is identifying, developing and retaining the best young talent in Irish Rugby, and we’re particularly excited to welcome four young forwards into the programme. They have shown huge potential and bringing them into a full-time environment will give them the opportunity to accelerate their development, while also increasing competition and depth within the group.
“The announcement of this contracted group is not the end of that process. The Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship provides another important opportunity for players across the four Provinces to put their hands up, and there is scope for further contracts to be awarded to players who impress during the Championship.
“We want to continue driving standards throughout the programme and create a competitive environment where players are consistently challenged to develop and perform. That competition, alongside a strong pathway from the domestic and provincial game into the national programme, will be hugely important as we continue to move forward in this cycle.”
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IRFU confirm list of 31 centrally contracted women's players for 2026/27 season
THE IRFU HAS confirmed the list of 31 centrally contracted players on the women’s high-performance programme for the 2026/27 season.
The latest batch sees four players move onto national contracts for the first time – forwards Sophie Barrett, Kate Jordan, Aoibheann McGrath and Eilís Cahill, who debuted for Ireland during the 2026 Six Nations.
Meanwhile, prop Linda Djougang returns to the centralised system.
Ireland’s Test season kicks-off next month with the WXV Global Series, Scott Bemand’s side playing three home matches before facing South Africa in a two-match Test series in Cape Town in October.
Ireland play the USA on Sunday, 20 September in the first women’s Test match to be the played in Tallaght Stadium.
Next up it’s Japan in Galway’s Dexcom Stadium (Sunday, 27 September) before a return to Cork’s Virgin Media Park to play Japan (Saturday, 3 October), in a clash which falls outside the WXV Global Series window.
IRFU Head of Women’s Performance and Pathways, Gillian McDarby, said: “The full-time centralised programme continues to evolve and develop as we look to create the strongest possible High-Performance environment for our players and build towards our long-term ambitions for the women’s game.
“A key part of that is identifying, developing and retaining the best young talent in Irish Rugby, and we’re particularly excited to welcome four young forwards into the programme. They have shown huge potential and bringing them into a full-time environment will give them the opportunity to accelerate their development, while also increasing competition and depth within the group.
“The announcement of this contracted group is not the end of that process. The Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship provides another important opportunity for players across the four Provinces to put their hands up, and there is scope for further contracts to be awarded to players who impress during the Championship.
“We want to continue driving standards throughout the programme and create a competitive environment where players are consistently challenged to develop and perform. That competition, alongside a strong pathway from the domestic and provincial game into the national programme, will be hugely important as we continue to move forward in this cycle.”
Ireland Women’s centrally contracted players 2026/27 season:
Jemima Adams Verling, Sophie Barrett, Ellen Boylan, Beth Buttimer, Eilis Cahill, Ruth Campbell, Hannah Clarke, Amee-Leigh Costigan, Aoife Dalton, Linda Djougang, Caitriona Finn, Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Kate Jordan, Erin King, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Lucia Linn, Anna McGann, Sadhbh McGrath, Aoibheann McGrath, Alana McInerney, Jane Neill, Dannah O’Brien, Robyn O’Connor, Beibhinn Parsons, Ailish Quinn, Aoibheann Reilly, Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan, Chisom Ugwueru, Katie Whelan.
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