Ireland Women’s Squad Selected For Wales Warm-Up Game
Ireland Women’s head coach Tom Tierney has named a 30-strong squad for this weekend’s training camp, which will also see the side play an uncapped warm-up fixture against Wales at Donnybrook on Sunday (kick-off 2pm).
The squad contains a number of uncapped players, including Galwegians and Connacht props Laura Feely and Ciara O’Connor and Cooke and Ulster prop Ilse van Staden. Old Belvedere and Leinster hooker Jennie Finlay and Railway Union and Leinster scrum half Ailsa Hughes are joined by Cooke and Ulster out-half Jemma Jackson and UL Bohemians and Munster wings Eimear Considine and Deirbhile Nic a Bháird.
Speaking ahead of the weekend’s camp, Tom Tierney said: “We’ve had a number of productive weekend camps over the last few weeks and with Wales visiting us this Sunday, it will us the chance to look at some different combinations as well as putting some of the structures we’ve been working on into place against top class opposition.
“There’s a number of uncapped players who did well during the Interpro games before Christmas so they will have the chance to test themselves at international level.
“We travel to Glasgow in two weeks’ time to kick off the Six Nations against Scotland, so we are looking forward to this Sunday in what should be a valuable outing for the squad.”
The Ireland Women’s squad for the Six Nations will be confirmed next week. Tickets for Ireland’s home games against England and France in the Women’s Six Nations are on sale now via Ticketmaster.
IRELAND WOMEN’S Squad (Weekend Camp/Wales Warm-Up Game):
Backs (13) –
Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt)
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
Mairead Coyne (Galwegians/Connacht)
Mary Healy (Galwegians/Connacht)
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster) *
Jemma Jackson (Cooke/Ulster) *
Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Claire McLaughlin (Cooke/Ulster)
Alison Miller (Old Belvedere/Connacht)
Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls)
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (UL Bohemians/Munster) *
Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Forwards (17) –
Elaine Anthony (Highfield/Munster)
Anna Caplice (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Jennie Finlay (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary’s/Leinster)
Nichola Fryday (Tullamore/Connacht)
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Leah Lyons (Highfield/Munster)
Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union/Leinster)
Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster)
Ciara O’Connor (Galwegians/Connacht) *
Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Ilse van Staden (Cooke/Ulster) *
IRELAND WOMEN’S Team Management –
Head Coach – Tom Tierney
Assistant Coach – Declan O’Brien
Scrum Coach – Derek Dowling
Skills Coach – Peter O’Donnell
Director of Women’s Rugby – Anthony Eddy
Team Manager – Tanya Abbas Curran
S&C Coach – Ed Slattery
Physiotherapist – Emma Gallivan
Performance Analyst – Nathan Buckley
Media Officer – Sam O’Byrne
Team Services – Rory Wilson