IRELAND WOMEN’S HEAD coach Philip Doyle has named a 26-strong squad for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France this August.
Fiona Coghlan continues as captain, leading a group that includes just one uncapped player in Sharon Lynch of Old Belvedere and Leinster. Ireland will face USA, New Zealand and Kazakhstan in Pool B of the tournament.
Doyle is without regular scrum-half Amy Davis, who has been ruled out through injury, meaning a call-up for the 49-times capped Blackrock playmaker Tania Rosser among the 13 backs in the squad. Hooker Stacey-Lee Kennedy is another to miss out through injury.
Key figures such as Niamh Briggs, Lynne Cantwell, Nora Stapleton, Jenny Murphy, Claire Molloy and Marie Louise Reilly are all fit to take their places in Doyle’s selection.
We have just come off the back of three weekends of intensive training and unfortunately we had to cut the squad to just 26 players which has been difficult,” said Doyle upon announcing his squad.
“Everybody applied themselves brilliantly and I would like to congratulate all for their involvement. Women’s rugby is at an all-time high in Ireland and with that comes great expectation. We are well placed for the tournament and are all looking forward to heading to France and getting started.”
Ireland begin their World Cup journey by taking on the US on the 1st of August in Marcoussis. Their second fixture sees them face reigning champions New Zealand on the 5th, before finishing Pool B against Kazakhstan on the 9th.
TG4 will be screening Ireland’s pool games live, as well as both semi-finals and the final of the competition.
Ireland Women Rugby World Cup Squad:
Forwards (13)
Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster)
Kerrie Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exiles)
Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Orla Fitzsimons (St Mary’s College/Leinster)
Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster)
Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster)
Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
Heather O’Brien (Highfield RFC/Munster)
Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster)Backs (13)
Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Lynne Cantwell (Richmond RFC/Exile)
Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exiles)
Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster)
Paula Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s College/Leinster)
Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile)
Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster)
Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Jackie Shiels (Richmond RFC/Exile)
