The Ireland Under-20 Women's training squad (sponsored by PwC) has been announced for the Six Nations Women's Summer Series, which will debut next month in Parma, Italy.
Head coach Niamh Briggs has confirmed a 36-player panel in preparation for the inaugural Women's Summer Series, which will take place at Parma's Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi between July 4 and 14. All matches will be broadcast live on the Six Nations Rugby U-20 YouTube channel.
The 36 players have been selected for training camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre in Blanchardstown, before the final squad for Italy is named.
Starting on Thursday, July 4, the format of the Women's Summer Series will see three match days, on July 4, 9, and 14, with teams made up of predominately U-20 players, but with each Union able to select up to three U-23 players per matchday squad.
Hannah Wilson, Ivana Kiripati, Ruth Campbell, Jane Neill, Karly Tierney, Kate Flannery, Clara Barrett, Cara Martin. and Abby Moyles all featured in last summer's first ever Ireland U-20 Women's squad, which was assembled for training games against Italy and Scotland.
Six players in Briggs' training group featured in this year's Energia All-Ireland League Women's Division final - Flannery, player-of-the-match Chisom Ugwueru (pictured below), Beth Buttimer, Brianna Heylmann, Faith Oviawe, and Éabha Nic Dhonnacha.
22 of the training squad members played have played for Ireland at the U-18 Women's Six Nations Festival, and 13 players lined out for their provinces in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship last August and September.
15 of the 36 players also featured in this year's Celtic Challenge competition for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Campbell, Kiripati, and Flannery were training panellists with the Ireland senior squad for the 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations.
Commenting on the training squad announcement, IRFU Women's National Talent Squad and Talent Identification Manager, Katie Fitzhenry, said: "We're delighted to name the training squad ahead of the Summer Series in Italy next month
22 of the training squad members played have played for Ireland at the U-18 Women's Six Nations Festival, and 13 players lined out for their provinces in the Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship last August and September.
15 of the 36 players also featured in this year's Celtic Challenge competition for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Campbell, Kiripati, and Flannery were training panellists with the Ireland senior squad for the 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations.
Commenting on the training squad announcement, IRFU Women's National Talent Squad and Talent Identification Manager, Katie Fitzhenry, said: "We're delighted to name the training squad ahead of the Summer Series in Italy next month
We've observed 50 players through screening camps this year, and the coaching team of Niamh, JP Walsh, and Murray Houston have selected an exciting mix of talented players from across the country, all of whom have impressed for their club, province, or at underage international level in a green jersey."It is a very exciting time for everyone involved and this is another important step for our Women's Pathway, providing a platform for the further development of our best young players and exposing them to international rugby."
IRELAND UNDER-20 WOMEN'S Training Squad (Six Nations Women's Summer Series, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Italy, Thursday, July 4-Sunday, July 14, 2024):
Backs (15): Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht) Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) Niamh Gallagher (Saracens/IQ Rugby) May Goulding (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints/IQ Rugby) Lucia Linn (Loughborough University/IQ Rugby) Cara Martin (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) Abby Moyles (Blackrock College RFC/Ulster) Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) Robyn O'Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster) Tara O'Neill (Cooke RFC/Ulster) Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton (Mullingar RFC/Leinster) Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Forwards (21): Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Ulster) Grainne Burke (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Kelly Burke (Mullingar RFC/Leinster) Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) Maebh Clenaghan (Queen's University Belfast RFC/Ulster) Olivia Constable (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) Saoirse Crowe (Shannon RFC/Munster) Poppy Garvey (Sligo RFC/Connacht) Aoibheann Hahessy (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) Ivana Kiripati (American International College/Connacht) Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) Amanda McQuade (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby) Lily Morris (Killarney RFC/Munster) Éadaoin Murtagh (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) Jane Neill (Galwegians RFC/Leinster) Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht) Karly Tierney (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)IRELAND FIXTURES – SIX NATIONS WOMEN'S SUMMER SERIES:
England v Ireland, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Thursday, July 4, kick off 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time Ireland v Italy, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Tuesday, July 9, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time Ireland v Scotland, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Sunday, July 14, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time