Ireland U20s Team Named To Play Canada U20s
Beth Buttimer, Ireland's player-of-the-match, is pictured with her team-mates Ellen Boylan, Kate Flannery, Ruth Campbell, Ellie O'Sullivan Sexton, captain Jane Neill, and Jade Gaffney ©INPHO/Ben Brady
Ireland Women’s U20s team, sponsored by PwC, to play Canada in the first of two uncapped training matches at the IRFU High Performance Centre has been named.
The match kicks off on Saturday, May 10, at 1pm with the second game at the same time and venue a week later. The games are part of the build up to the Six Nations U20s Summer Series which takes place in Cardiff in July.
Head Coach Niamh Briggs has named a 30 strong squad for Saturday’s match as she aims to give as many players as possible the chance to put their hand up for selection ahead of the Summer Series.
There are eight players who featured at this level in 2024 named in the squad with Grainne Burke, Kelly Burke, Sophie Barrett, Jane Neill, May Goulding, Jade Gaffney, Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton, and Niamh Gallagher inlcuded.
There are also two players capped at senior international level at both – Emma Tilly, who was capped on the Japan tour, and Katie Corrigan who made her debut in the Guinness WOmen’s Six Nations Championship in 2024. Both players have also been capped at 7s for Ireland.
Speaking about the match Niamh Briggs said, “We’re really looking forward to seeing how the players go tomorrow. We have an exciting time ahead and the two games against Canada are a perfect opportunity for the players to build experience as we head towards the Summer Series in July.
“There’s been a lot of hard work done in training so we’re really looking forward to seeing how the players perform. On the back of an exciting Women’s Six Nations and U18s Six Nations this is a huge opportunity for players in the development pathway to showcase their skills and continue to improve.”
Ireland U20 Women’s Team ( v Canada U20 Women, IRFU HPC, Saturday, May 10, 1pm)
15. Caoimhe McCormack (Railway Union/Leinster)
14. Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
13. Sophie Cullen (Galwegians/Leinster)
12. Sarah Purcell (Galwegians/Connacht)
11. Emma Brogan (MU Barnhall/Leinster)
10. Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian/Munster)
9. May Goulding (Old Albanians/Saracens/IQ Rugby)
1. Grainne Burke (Ennis/Munster)
2. Kelly Burke (MU Barnhall/Leinster)
3. Sophie McAllister (Ballymena/Ulster)
4. Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian/Munster)
5. Naoise Smyth (Ashbourne/Suttonians/Leinster)
6. Beibhinn Gleeson (Tuam-Oughterard/Connacht)
7. Ailish Quinn (Galwegians/Connacht)
8. Jane Neill (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Replacements
16. Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
17. Tara O’Neill (Cooke/Ulster)
18. Hannah Scanlon (Railway Union/Leinster)
19. Emma Tilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
20. Lyndsay Clarke (Ennis/Munster)
21. Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
22. Poppy Garvey (Railway Union/Connacht)
23. Niamh Gallagher (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)
24. Emily Foley (Galwegians/Connacht)
25. Rosie Searle (Navan/Leinster)
26. Sarah McCormick (Galwegians/Connacht)
27. Méabh Keegan (Railway Union/Leinster)
28. Lily Morris (Ballincollig/Munster)
29. Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen/Ulster)
30. Ella Burns (Tuam-Oughterard/Connacht)