Bemand Names Ireland Squad For WXV Campaign

Ireland Women’s head coach Scott Bemand has named his squad for the upcoming World Rugby WXV3 tournament in Dubai.

The squad is made up of 17 forwards and 13 backs, with 15 players from Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship winners Leinster.

The remainder of the squad is made up of three players from Munster, three from Ulster, five from Connacht, and there are also four UK club-based players.

Clara Barrett, Ruth Campbell, Megan Collis, Eimear Corri, Sarah Delaney and Katie Whelan are all coming into their first senior squad and have the opportunity, alongside Fiona Tuite, to earn their first international cap in Dubai.

Unfortunately, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird was unavailable for selection due to a knock picked up in a training game at the weekend.

Commenting on the announcement, Bemand said: “Since joining the programme a month ago, there has been a significant amount of work gone in to enabling this group of players to perform on the world stage.

The playing group has been brilliant, embracing a new culture and training identity that will lay the foundations for future success. We know what we’re going after and I’m excited to see them bring it to life in WXV.”

The squad will depart for Dubai on Friday, October 6, ahead of their first game against Kazakhstan on the following Friday. All matches will be live streamed for free on World Rugby’s RugbyPass TV platform.

IRELAND WOMEN’S Squad (World Rugby WXV3 Tournament, Dubai, October 2023):

Player/Club/Province/Caps –

Backs (13):

Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) 4
Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 7
Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster) 17
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) 18
Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) *
Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 7
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 9
Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) *
Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 2
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) 7
Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) 9
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) 8
Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 7

Forwards (17):

Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 1
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) 15
Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) 10
Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) 20
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) 21
Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) *
Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) *
Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby) 10
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 29
Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) 4
Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) *
Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) 18
Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) 1
Ruth Campbell (MU Barnhall RFC/Leinster) *
Sadhbh McGrath (MU Barnhall/Cooke RFC/Ulster) 5
Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) 15
Sarah Delaney (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster) *

* Denotes uncapped player

Ireland Women – WXV3 Fixtures:

Friday, October 13 –

Ireland v Kazakhstan, The Sevens 2, Dubai, kick-off 7.30pm local time/4.30pm Irish time (RugbyPass TV)

Saturday, October 21 –

Ireland v Colombia, The Sevens 2, Dubai, kick-off 5pm local time/2pm Irish time (RugbyPass TV)

Saturday, October 28 –

Ireland v Spain, The Sevens 2, Dubai, kick-off 5pm local time/2pm Irish time (RugbyPass TV)