Ireland Squad Announced For Women’s Rugby World Cup
The Ireland Women’s squad for the forthcoming IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup in France has been named. Philip Doyle’s charges are in Pool B alongside USA, New Zealand and Kazakhstan.
The selected Ireland Women’s squad will be captained by prop Fiona Coghlan and contains an even split of 13 forwards and 13 backs.
The 26-strong panel contains just one new cap with Sharon Lynch, a Division 1 winner with Old Belvedere this year, named in the forwards.
Scrum half Amy Davis, a regular in the squad during the Six Nations, has been ruled out through injury which means a recall for the experienced Tania Rosser who played at the 2010 World Cup in England.
Commenting on the selection, head coach Philip Doyle said: “We have just come off the back of three weekends of intensive training and unfortunately we had to cut the squad to just 26 players which has been difficult. Everybody applied themselves brilliantly and I would like to congratulate all for their involvement.
“Women’s rugby is at an all-time high in Ireland and with that comes great expectation. We are well placed for the tournament and are all looking forward to heading to France and getting started.”
Ireland open their campaign on Friday, August 1 with a tough encounter against the USA whom they played twice at the 2010 tournament in England.
TG4 have confirmed they are to broadcast Ireland’s pool games live as well as both semi-finals and finals. Ireland’s clash New Zealand will also be televised live on Sky Sports 1.
Tickets for the World Cup games can be purchased here.
IRELAND WOMEN’S Squad (2014 IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup, France, August 1-17):
Backs (13) –
Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile)
Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile)
Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster)
Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Ulster)
Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster)
Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile)
Forwards (13) –
Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster) (capt)
Kerrie-Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exile)
Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s College/Leinster)
Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster)
Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster)
Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster)
Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
2014 WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP:
POOL B FIXTURES –
Friday, August 1
IRELAND v USA, Marcoussis pitch 3, 5pm local time/4pm Irish time (live TG4) (Buy match tickets)
Tuesday, August 5
New Zealand v IRELAND, Marcoussis pitch 1, 6pm local time/5pm Irish time (live TG4/Sky Sports 1 HD) (Buy match tickets)
Saturday, August 9
IRELAND v Kazakhstan, Marcoussis pitch 3, 1pm local time/12pm Irish time (live TG4) (Buy match tickets)
Related Links –
Ireland Women To Face USA In World Cup Opener