An Achilles injury means that Sam Monaghan has been ruled out of Ireland's upcoming three home Tests - including the Vodafone Ireland XV Series games against the USA and Japan - and the away clashes with South Africa.
Fellow second row Ruth Campbell damaged her ankle during Leinster's Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship final loss to Munster, but could still feature in green during this international window.
Uncapped duo Alma Atagamen and Olivia McKinley were called up last week, as the Ireland Women ramped up their preparations for Sunday's opener against the USA at Tallaght Stadium (kick-off 1.45pm).
Secure your tickets for Tallaght Stadium
The 33-year-old Monaghan, who returned from an ACL injury to play last season in both the Rugby World Cup and Guinness Women's Six Nations, is still very much a valuable asset in camp despite this latest setback.
"Sam has been really unlucky," explained head coach Scott Bemand. "She picked up an Achilles injury, so that will be this competition out for her.
"She is still in and around (the group), which is brilliant. She's still goading the girls on and still in meetings, so she's still getting a rugby fix.
"But yeah, rugby being rugby, sometimes it throws you one of these. But in terms of how it leaves the squad, there's opportunities."
The absence of both Monaghan and Campbell will most likely see Dorothy Wall and Fiona Tuite-O'Sullivan, fresh from her player-of-the-match performance for Ulster against Connacht, line out together at lock.
The pair have 67 international caps between them, and started in the engine room against England, France, and Wales earlier this year.
Munster's Jane Clohessy, who made her Ireland debut away to Scotland in 2025, is also pressing for inclusion, with Kate Jordan, the ever-improving Leinster forward, another player keen to make her mark.
Speaking about Campbell's prognosis, Bemand said: "The facilities we've got here (at the High Performance Centre), the people we've got looking after her, we're really hopeful we can get Ruth back in this series.
"So that'll be a nice turnaround, she's got something to go for."
