Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has included eight uncapped players in a 32-strong squad for the Women’s Six Nations Championship.
Irish Women’s Sevens players are unavailable for selection as they would miss the first two matches in the tournament because of World Series commitments in Hong Kong and the final weekend when they will be preparing for the final Sevens event on the circuit in Toulouse.
They are trying to qualify through the series for the 2024 Paris Olympics – they are in Vancouver this weekend – and are very well placed to do so. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Beibhinn Parsons and Stacey Flood among others would certainly add value but the 15s and Sevens will have for the most part disparate squads of players going forward.
Based on the Women’s interprovincial championship and the recently concluded Celtic Challenge tournament, McWilliams have named eight uncapped players included in the squad. Forwards Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite and Molly Boyne all impressed for the Combined Provinces XV during their unbeaten Celtic Challenge campaign and earn a first Ireland call up, as do uncapped IQ Rugby duo Kathryn Buggy and Clara Neilson. Ella Roberts is one of two uncapped backs in the squad alongside Harlequins scrumhalf Emma Swords.
In addition to the 32 players included in the Six Nations squad, McWilliams has named 12 players in a wider training panel who will also assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre this weekend for a two-day camp: Mary Healy, Megan Collis, Andrea Stock, Emma Hooban, India Daley, Claire Bennett, Katie Whelan, Leah Tarpey, Kayla Waldron, Ella Durkan, Clare Gorman and Aoife Corey.
Ireland open their Championship away to Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, March 25th (2.15), before facing France at Musgrave Park in Cork on Saturday, April 1st (3.15). Ireland take on Italy in Parma on Saturday, April 15th (4.45) and the McWilliams’ side are back home in Cork for a showdown with England on Saturday, April 22nd (2.15pm).
Meanwhile Ireland will travel to France in the opening round of fixtures in the 2024 Six Nations Championship, but a venue for the game which heralds the start of the tournament on the Friday night will not take place at the Stade de France is not available for any of the French home games because of the Paris Olympics.
Italy visit Dublin on the Sunday in the second round while Ireland’s final three matches are on Saturdays against Wales, England and Scotland.
Ireland squad
(* denotes uncapped)
Niamh O’Dowd (Leinster)*, Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster)*, Kathryn Buggy (IQ Rugby)*, Christy Haney (Leinster), Linda Djougang (Leinster), Neve Jones (Ulster), Clara Nielson (IQ Rugby)*, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Munster), Nichola Fryday (Connacht, capt), Sam Monaghan (IQ Rugby), Fiona Tuite (Ulster)*, Hannah O’Connor (Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Munster), Grace Moore (IQ Rugby), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Munster), Edel McMahon (Connacht), Brittany Hogan (Ulster), Molly Boyne (Leinster)*, Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster), Emma Swords (IQ Rugby)*, Ailsa Hughes (Leinster), Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), Nicole Cronin (Munster), Enya Breen (Munster), Aoife Wafer (Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Leinster), Vicky Irwin (Ulster), Méabh Deely (Connacht), Aoife Doyle (Munster), Natasja Behan (Leinster), Ella Roberts (Leinster)*, Lauren Delany (IQ Rugby).
