English based players cannot train with Irish women's squad due to restrictions

Five players named in Six Nations squad cannot come back home for sessions

Anna Caplice is one of the five players based in England who are unable to return to national training due to restrictions.

Irish players based in England are unable to train with the national women’s rugby team for the immediate future due to Covid-19 restrictions.

However Irish management insist that the five Premiership players who were named in the national squad this month will have a ‘full part to play’ in October’s rearranged Six Nations games.

Edel McMahon (Wasps), Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps), Anna Caplice (Harlequins), Leah Lyons (Harlequins), Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks) are the expats in the 36 strong selection for the rescheduled tournament.

However IRFU chiefs confirmed on Monday afternoon that any player who is abroad will not be present at a number of one-day training camps which are scheduled over the coming weekends.

However, officials stressed that those players will still link up with the squad via zoom calls and such remote technology.

An IRFU spokesperson explained that the decision on the players from outside of Ireland was in line with government advice.

The spokesperson said: “Current Irish Government guidelines advise that there is no travel between Ireland and England and a 14 day mandatory quarantine is in place for people who do travel.

“While our IQ players have been named in the rescheduled Six Nations squad, we do not expect them to travel to the first two one day camps in Dublin.

“Our IQ players will remain as part of our squad and we hope to be in a position that allows them to travel and participate in the near future depending on Govt Regulations.” 

Ireland host Italy in their rescheduled Round 4 fixture on the weekend of October 24th October before concluding the delayed 2020 Championship with an away trip to France on the weekend of October 31st.

Meanwhile Munster were continuing to wait for news on the extent of injuries to forward trio RG Snyman, Dave Kilcoyne and Jean Kleyn following their premature exits from the province’s return to play at the weekend.

World Cup winner Snyman’s Munster debut lasted just seven minutes against Leinster in the resumption of the Guinness PRO14 season at Aviva Stadium on Saturday night, a game lost 27-25. The South African lock landed awkwardly after stealing a Leinster lineout and was set to go for an MRI scan on his left knee on Monday.

Kilcoyne was removed from the action at the same time as his new team-mate having suffered an injury to his right ankle and the Ireland prop was also set for an MRI scan on Monday. So too Kleyn, who had replaced Snyman in the second row but was then withdrawn during the second half due to a neck injury. Munster said Kleyn had been taken to hospital following his departure, where he underwent imaging of the injury before being discharged and the South Africa-born Ireland lock needed further investigative imaging on Monday.