IRELAND WOMEN’S RUGBY Head Coach Scott Bemand has today named a 30-player squad for the upcoming WXV1 campaign in Vancouver.
Following Saturday’s victory over Australia in Irish Rugby’s 150th Anniversary Test match, the Ireland squad were regrouping on Tuesday, before departing for Canada on Friday.
Bemand’s side will face New Zealand, Canada and USA in Vancouver, providing Ireland with an opportunity to build important Test match experience and exposure against the world’s leading teams heading into the 2025 Guinness Women’s Six Nations and Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.
The four players who made their Test debuts for Ireland against the Wallaroos last weekend are all included in the travelling party, as Ruth Campbell, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Siobhán McCarthy and Erin King are all rewarded for impressive performances on their debut appearance in green.
Christy Haney has been ruled out of the three-match campaign due to injury, but there is a welcome return to fitness for Sadhbh McGrath who is recalled, while props Sophie Barrett and Andrea Stock are two of four uncapped players named in the squad for Vancouver, joining backs Katie Heffernan and Caitríona Finn.
Commenting on today’s announcement, the Ireland Head Coach said: “We have spoken consistently about building strong squad depth within the group, and the performance against Australia and training intensity of the last two weeks, presented the Coaching Team with a number of difficult selection decisions.
“The performance and result on Saturday was a really pleasing start point for our season and as we re-assemble for camp in Dublin later today, the focus now turns to WXV1, preparing well for the challenges ahead and continuing to grow our wave moving towards the tournament opener against the Black Ferns.”
Ireland Squad – WXV1:
Forwards (caps in brackets):
Sophie Barrett (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)
Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (1)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (38)
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) (24)
Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) (27)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC) (1)
Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster) (1)
Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster) (13)
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (29)
Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs) (35)
Grace Moore (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby) (15)
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster) (9)
Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (8)
Andrea Stock (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)
Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) (7)
Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (8)
Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster) (29)
Backs:
Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) (22)
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (27)
Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (15)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC) (1)
Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC) (11)
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) (12)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC) (18)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC) (7)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster) (10)
Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster) (17)
Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) (16)
Fixtures:
Sunday, 29 September: Ireland v New Zealand, BC Place, 7pm local time/3am Irish time
Saturday, 5 October: Ireland v Canada, Langley Events Centre, 3.45pm local time/11.45pm Irish time
Friday, 11 October: Ireland v USA, BC Place, 12.30pm local time/8.30pm Irish time.
Strange that some of the mid table premier league teams wouldn’t take a chance on Szmodics. Obviously too good for the championship. Yet some totally unproven youngster from the continent with a bit of “potential” will cause a bidding war with someone paying 30 odd million, only to find that he can’t adapt to English football, culture, climate or whatever.
@Bert Carolan: Szmodics has said himself many times he doesn’t want to play in the premier League
@John Devine: well that’s a complete lie
@Dave Moran: A lie that he doesn’t want to play in Pl or that he said he doesn’t want to?
@John Devine: Where or when did he say that? Not doubting you but that’s a weird attitude for a championship player. Chance to secure his future, play at the highest level in England.
Premirship incomning Ipswich
@Square: Would be a good fit I think.
@Bert Carolan: Did he really say he not want to play on premirship are you just joking
@Square: John Devine said that, not me.
@Bert Carolan: Oh ya haha nonsense i think
Can someone sign him please? I don’t particularly like Rovers winning. Ipswich has to be a good fit given his time in the Colchester area. I used to live down there too and he wasn’t rated highly at the time. Every credit to him for getting to where he has.
@Justin Robinson: Ipswich after him the whole summer but no deal, looking slightly less likely to happen at this stage but hopefully it gets done, Ipswich need him I think.
@Michael Kennedy: Can’t blame Rovers for squeezing out every last penny I suppose. SS is about 13 months off being 30 so it’s now or never for him really.
@Justin Robinson: 100%, but it has fairly dragged on, Ipswich tried to sign Gallagher from them in the last transfer window, similarly difficult to deal with them then. Joke club, joke owners is what I’ve heard.