Ireland U-20 Women’s Squad Finalised For Inaugural Summer Series

The Ireland Under-20 Women’s squad (sponsored by PwC) has been announced for the inaugural Six Nations Women’s Summer Series in Italy next month.

Following a series of camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre and a recent training camp in England, head coach Niamh Briggs has selected a squad of 28 players to travel to Parma, where Ireland will face England, hosts Italy, and Scotland.

Arklow RFC product Jane Neill, who plays for Galwegians in the Energia All-Ireland League, will captain Ireland U-20 Women from the pack, while UL Bohemian star Kate Flannery is the vice-captain.

With each team permitted to include three Under-23 players in their matchday squad, Briggs will have Ruth Campbell, Amanda McQuade, Chisom Ugwueru, Faith Oviawe, and Ivana Kiripati to choose from.

The Ireland Under-20s’ opening match is against England at Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi next Thursday (kick-off 5.30pm Irish time), before Briggs’s charges face Italy in the second round on Tuesday, July 9 (kick-off 9am Irish time).

Their Summer Series campaign concludes against Scotland on Sunday, July 14 (kick-off 9am Irish time), with all of the matches streamed live on the Six Nations Under-20s YouTube channel, as well as here on IrishRugby.ie.

Hannah Wilson, Clara Barrett, Kiripati, Campbell, Neill, and Flannery all featured in last year’s Ireland U-20 squad in a series of training games against Scotland and Italy.

Six players named in the travelling party played in the recent Energia All-Ireland League Women’s Division final at the Aviva Stadium – the player-of-the-match Ugwueru, as well as Beth Buttimer, Brianna Heylmann, Oviawe, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha, and Flannery.

15 of the 28 players also lined out in this year’s Celtic Challenge for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Campbell, Kiripati, Flannery, and Ugwueru were training panellists in the Ireland senior set-up for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

Speaking about the Summer Series, Briggs said: “It’s exciting for all of us to be part of this tournament. Having these structures in place at U-18 and U-20 level is important in helping the players to develop and bridge the gap to senior internationals.

“This gives players time to expose themselves to better opposition, and I suppose expose themselves to higher level rugby, expose themselves to camp and the environment that that brings.”

Commenting on the squad announcement, Enda McDonagh, Managing Partner at PwC Ireland, added:

Everyone at PwC is really excited about the inaugural Women’s Six Nations Summer Series campaign kicking off in Parma, Italy next week.

“We wish head coach Niamh Briggs, her wider coaching team, and all the players in the travelling squad the very best of luck in their three fixtures, as they take on England, Italy, and Scotland.”

IRELAND UNDER-20 WOMEN’S Squad (Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Italy, Thursday, July 4-Sunday, July 14, 2024):

Backs (12):

Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht)
Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)
Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht)
Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) (vice-capt)
Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Niamh Gallagher (Saracens/IQ Rugby)
May Goulding (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints/IQ Rugby)
Lucia Linn (Loughborough University/IQ Rugby)
Éabha Nic Dhonnacha (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht)
Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster)
Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Mullingar RFC/Leinster)
Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

Forwards (16):

Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC/Ulster)
Grainne Burke (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Kelly Burke (Mullingar RFC/Leinster)
Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Aoibheann Hahessy (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Ivana Kiripati (American International College/Connacht)
Roisin Maher (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Amanda McQuade (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)
Lily Morris (Killarney RFC/Munster)
Éadaoin Murtagh (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Jane Neill (Galwegians RFC/Leinster) (capt)
Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)
Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

IRELAND UNDER-20 WOMEN’S MANAGEMENT TEAM:

Head Coach – Niamh Briggs
Assistant Coach – JP Walsh
Assistant Coach – Murray Houston
Athletic Development Coach – Paul Heasley
Physio – Aoife Healy
Kit Man – John McDonald
Analyst  – Niamh O’Donovan
Nutrition – Leanne Varley
Team Manager – Becky Irvine

IRELAND FIXTURES – SIX NATIONS WOMEN’S SUMMER SERIES:

England v Ireland, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Thursday, July 4, kick off 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time
Ireland v Italy, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Tuesday, July 9, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time
Ireland v Scotland, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma, Sunday, July 14, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time