Connacht's new head coach Craig Hansberry has been boosted by the availability of the Ireland stars, who are set for game-time with the province ahead of the WXV Global Series.
Béibhinn Parsons, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, and Anna McGann, who all played during the 2026 Guinness Women's Six Nations, are part of Hansberry's 40-player group, along with Aoibheann Reilly who missed the tournament through injury.
It will be a homecoming for Galway native Moloney-MacDonald, who previously played for Leinster when she was with Railway Union before moving to Wasps in 2018.
Former Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon, who recently finished up at Exeter Chiefs where she played alongside Moloney-MacDonald, is poised to make her return from injury in the green of Connacht.
Last involved with Connacht in 2024, McMahon has not played since undergoing a second knee operation following the Rugby World Cup last year.
With the Women's Interprovincial finals day taking place at Dexcom Stadium on Saturday, August 29, Parsons is sure to be eager to add to her try tally at the ground where she ran in a hat-trick against Italy in April.
The prolific Galway-born winger has only played in one previous senior Interprovincial campaign for Connacht, back in 2019 when she was just 17 years of age.
"We've had a great few weeks training with our extended squad," said Hansberry. "With the rest of the coaching team, we had a tough job whittling it down to the 40 players who will take us through to the Interpros.
"It's a massive boost to be able to call on our international players. Some of them have gone on to play on the biggest stage in Women's rugby, but despite representing Connacht at underage level, they haven't yet had the opportunity to represent their home province in a senior Interprovincial Championship.
"So, it is great news for them as well as us, and not to mention the young girls from across Connacht who will get to watch them in action when they hopefully come out to support us for all four games."
Clara Barrett and Méabh Deely are two more Ireland-capped players at Hansberry's disposal, and he also has plenty of Ireland Under-21 talent to call on too.
Ailish Quinn, Jemima Adams Verling, Ella Burns, Poppy Garvey, Síofra Hession, and Emily Foley all featured for the Ireland U-21 squad that secured a clean sweep of U-21 Six Nations Series wins between April and May.
Among the newcomers to Connacht's squad are Ennis starlet Lyndsay Clarke, an Interpro title winner with Munster last season, development player and recent Ireland Sevens debutant Kyah Coady, and fellow Sevens internationals Alanna Fitzpatrick and Clare Gorman.
Hansberry's side will kick off the Interprovincial Championship away to Ulster on Saturday, August 8, before travelling to Dublin to face Leinster the following weekend.
The westerners will then have back-to-back matches at Dexcom Stadium, entertaining defending champions Munster on Saturday, August 22, ahead of the play-offs at the home of Connacht Rugby at the end of the month.
Tickets for Connacht v Munster, as well as the finals day in Galway on August 29, will go on sale in the coming days, with free access for 2026/27 Connacht Season Ticket holders.
CONNACHT WOMEN'S SQUAD - 2026 VODAFONE WOMEN'S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Backs (18): Clara Barrett, Kyah Coady *, Lyndsay Clarke, Sophie Cullen, Méabh Deely, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Emily Foley, Clare Gorman, Aoife Heaney, Síofra Hession, Anna McGann, Amy McGuire, Gráinne Moran, Róisín O'Sullivan *, Béibhinn Parsons, Sarah Purcell, Aoibheann Reilly, Ava Ryder.
Forwards (22): Jemima Adams Verling, Ella Burns, Hannah Coen, Uillin Eilian, Emma Fabby, Catherine Fleming *, Poppy Garvey, Katie Griffin *, Stacy Hanley, Hannah Johnston, Emma Kelly, Evie Kennedy *, Merisa Kiripati, Anna McDermott *, Edel McMahon, Amanda McQuade, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Faith Oviawe, Ailish Quinn, Hannah Rapley, Laura Scuffil, Olivia Tallon Daly.
* Denotes development player
