Ten uncapped players named in Ireland WXV squad for Australia test

Prop Sophie Barrett was an outstanding performer for Niamh Briggs' Ireland U20s during the summer and receives her first senior call-up

Thu, 29 Aug, 2024 - 11:46

Darragh Leen

Ireland Women's Rugby Head Coach Scott Bemand has named a 35-player XVs squad ahead of next month's Test match against Australia in Belfast and the WXV1 campaign in Vancouver.

The squad will assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday in preparation for the visit of the Wallaroos to Kingspan Stadium on Saturday, 14 September (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.

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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.

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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 today's announcement, Ireland Head Coach Bemand said: "It is exciting to reward a number of players with first senior call ups.

"We feel we have the right mix of youth and Test experience to equip us for the challenges ahead.

"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".

Ireland Women's XVs Squad

Forwards: S Barrett (Railway Union/Ulster), R Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), S Delaney (Blackrock College/Leinster), L Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), C Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster), B Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster), S Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), N Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), E King (Old Belvedere), S McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster), E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht), C Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), G Moore (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), D Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere/Munster), N O'Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), A Stock (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), F Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster), A Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster), D Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster).

Backs: E Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), A Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), M Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht), S Flood (Railway Union), N Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht), K Heffernan (Railway Union/Leinster) E Higgins (Railway Union), E Lane (Blackrock College), A McGann (Railway Union), A McInerney (UL Bohemian/Munster) A Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster), D O'Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), R O'Connor (Wexford Wanderers/Leinster) M Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster), C Ugwueru (UL Bohemian/Munster) K Whelan (Old Belvedere/Leinster).

Training Panellists: Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster), H Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard/Connacht), J Clohessy (UL Bohemian/Munster), C Finn (UL Bohemian/Munster), V Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow), F Oviawe (Railway Union/Connacht).

Fixtures (All in Irish time):

Irish Rugby 150th Year Test Match: Saturday, 14 September: Ireland v Australia, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm.

WXV1: Monday, 30 September: Ireland v New Zealand, BC Place, 3am; Saturday, 5 October: Ireland v Canada, Langley Events Centre, 11.45pm; Friday, 11 October: Ireland v USA, BC Place, 8.30pm.