The Ireland Women’s Rugby Team have named a 26 person squad to travel to Cardiff this weekend ahead of a training camp and an uncapped friendly international against their Welsh counterparts.
A 38-player panel was initially announced for the Six Nations in December but Head Coach Adam Griggs, has cut his squad down to 26 ahead of the start of the tournament next month.
Ireland travel to Wales in preparation for their Six Nations opener in Donnybrook against Scotland on 2 February.
Dorothy Wall and Claire Keohane are the only two uncapped players included in the squad. Wall is a Munster and Ireland Sevens international. Keohane is one of the longest-serving players in the Ireland Women’s Sevens programme, making her debut in 2013.
Aoife Doyle makes her return to the Irish set-up after last appearing in the 2015 Six Nations.
Adam Griggs has named a combination of 11 backs and 15 Forwards to travel to Cardiff.
Speaking ahead of the camp, Grigg said, “We have had two quality camps in January and the attitude and application from the players has been excellent.”
“We have had to make some tough decisions reducing the squad to 26 for this weekend, but these are the sort of headaches that we, as a coaching group, want.
“This warm up fixture against Wales will provide the platform for us to fine-tune our game and test ourselves in areas we have been working on under match intensity heading into the Six Nations which is always of great value to the coaching group and players.
“We’ve a good mix of youth and experience with this selection and they will get the first opportunity of 2020 to represent our group and have the chance to stake their claim for the jersey before we start the tournament in Energia Park.”
Ireland Women’s Squad for Wales Training Camp
Backs:
Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Michelle Claffey (Blackrock/ Leinster)
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/ Ulster)
Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo/ IQ Rugby)
Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/ Munster)
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Claire Keohane (Railway Union/ Munster)*
Ellen Murphy (Gloucester-Hartpury/ IQ Rugby)
Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)
Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Forwards:
Anna Caplice (Harlequins/ IQ Rugby)
Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Victoria Dabanovich O’Mahony (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)
Laura Feeley (Galwegians/ Connacht)
Nichola Fryday (Old Belvedere/ Connacht)
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Leah Lyons (Harlequins/ IQ Rugby)
Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/ Ulster)
Edel McMahon (Wasps/ IQ Rugby)
Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/ IQ Rugby)
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock/ Leinster)
Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/ Leinster)
Dorothy Wall (Railway Union/ Munster)*
* Uncapped at this Level
Women’s Six Nations Fixtures
Sun, 2nd Feb, Ireland Women v Scotland Women, Energia Park, Donnybrook, KO 13.00hrs
Sun, 9th Feb, Ireland Women v Wales Women, Energia Park, Donnybrook, KO 13.00hrs
Sun, 23rd Feb, England Women v Ireland Women, Castle Park, Doncaster, KO 12.45hrs
Sun, 8th Mar, Ireland Women v Italy Women, Energia Park, Donnybrook, KO 13.00hrs
Sun, 15th Mar, France Women v Ireland Women, Le Stadium, Lille, KO 15.35GMT/16.35 Local Time
