PwC Under-18 Women’s Interpros: Round 1 Previews

Ireland Under-18 dual international Síofra Hession returns to captain Connacht, the defending PwC U-18 Women’s Interprovincial champions, while Munster and Leinster open their campaign as part of a double header with the senior teams in Cork.

PWC UNDER-18 WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIP:

ROUND 1 –

Saturday, August 17:

MUNSTER U-18 WOMEN v LEINSTER U-18 WOMEN, Virgin Media Park, 2pm

The Munster production line continues to turn out talented young players, with two of last year’s U-18 squad already breaking through into the senior ranks. Emma Dunican made her senior debut last week, and Caitriona Finn could do the same today against Leinster.

Now coached by Noel O’Meara, the Munster U-18 Women have had a busy summer of preparation for the Interpros, including residential camps at the University of Limerick, in-house games, and a warm-up win over the USA’s Eagle Impact Rugby Academy team.

There are four Clonakilty players in the starting XV, including half-backs Lani O’Donavan and Julie Finn who lead an all-Cork back-line. Ella Guerin Crowley from reigning Munster U-18 Girls Cup champions Killarney packs down at hooker.

Former Munster and Ireland prop Tony Buckley’s two daughters are both involved, with Ella, the starting tighthead, returning for a second season at this age grade, and her younger sibling Alice, who is on the bench, stepping up from U-16 level.

Speaking about the bonds being formed within this Munster squad, their Ireland U-18-capped scrum half Mia Hennelly (pictured below) said: “My favourite part is obviously playing rugby, but being able to play with people from all around the province. I think that’s so special because you have your set friends obviously, in your town or your club.

“But I just think it’s so great to be able to develop friendships outside of that, and truly just make friends for life and be able to play alongside them in a Munster jersey is very special.”

Meanwhile, a five-try first half salvo helped Leinster to win the corresponding fixture last August by 41 points, and four players who were involved in that game will feature again today, including scrum half and newly-appointed captain Aoibhe Kelly.

Kate Noons and vice-captain Emma Jane Wilson, who were both part of Ireland’s U-18 Six Nations Festival squad last season, form a strong front row with Wexford Wanderers’ Shannon Codd. Gorey number 8 Usha Daly O’Toole also has international experience.

Derek Maybury returns as Leinster’s head coach, and their build-up to the Interpros included a trip to Cardiff University where they enjoyed two good wins over Hartpury College and the Dragons.

Clontarf’s Ava Usanova joins her club-mate Teni Onigbode, also a vice-captain and a player to watch out for from full-back. in the matchday 23. Usanova is a younger sister of Ireland U-20 prop Alex Usanov, and made her Ireland U-18 Sevens debut in Strasbourg last month.

MUNSTER U-18 WOMEN: Clodagh McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC); Siobhan O’Callaghan (Ballincollig RFC), Niamh O’Mahony (Bandon RFC/Ballincollig RFC), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC), Grace Kingston (Bantry Bay RFC); Lani O’Donavan (Clonakilty RFC), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC); Tuathla Ryan (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Ella Guerin Crowley (Killarney RFC), Ella Buckley (Kanturk RFC/Ballincollig RFC), Orla MacCallum (Fermoy RFC/Ballincollig RFC), Aoife Grimes (Shannon RFC), Cailinn O’Brien (Garryowen FC), Roxanne Llewellyn (Clonakilty RFC), Sally Kelly (Ennis RFC).

Replacements: Erin Ridgway (Kinsale RFC/Dolphin RFC), Alice Buckley (Kanturk RFC), Meagan Maher Daly (Shannon RFC), Leona Arra (Clonakilty RFC), Roisin Cullinane (Midleton RFC), Mia Hennelly (Ballina-Killaloe RFC), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC), Olivia McMahon (Shannon RFC).

LEINSTER U-18 WOMEN: Teni Onigbode (Clontarf FC); Kate O’Molloy (Dundalk RFC), Millie Leonard (Wicklow RFC), Molly Whately (Dundalk RFC), Rebecca Cahill (Portlaoise RFC); Sophie Malone (Dundalk RFC), Aoibhe Kelly (Tullamore RFC/Roscrea RFC) (capt); Kate Noons (Cill Dara RFC), Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara RFC), Shannon Codd (Wexford Wanderers RFC), Roisin Ridge (Seapoint Rugby Club), Mia Rowan (Longford RFC), Erin McFadden (Balbriggan RFC), Orla O’Keeffe (Portarlington RFC), Usha Daly O’Toole (Gorey RFC).

Replacements: Katie Kearney (Navan RFC), Katie O’Driscoll (Suttonians RFC), Moya Murtagh (Mullingar RFC), Kate Miller (Cill Dara RFC), Shona Flanagan (New Ross RFC), Grainne Cleary (Mullingar RFC), Eva Nolan (Enniscorthy RFC), Ava Usanova (Clontarf FC).

ULSTER U-18 WOMEN v CONNACHT U-18 WOMEN, Newforge Sports Complex, 3.30pm

This is the first of back-to-back home matches for Ulster, who host Leinster at Kingspan Stadium next Saturday. Inishowen centre Erin McConalogue is the standout player having played for the Ireland U-18s in 15s and Sevens in the last five months.

Larne number 8 Cara McLean joined McConalogue in the Ireland squad for last Easter’s U-18 Six Nations Festival. Becky Irvine, the Ireland team manager, is the Ulster U-18s’ head coach, with Ollie Millar, Colm Finnegan, and Scott Dowds-Moffatt her assistants.

There is an impressive spread of clubs represented, with 13 in the starting line-up alone. It is a particularly proud day for Letterkenny RFC with starts for both Kaitlyn McMorrow and Grace Simati, who only took up rugby in 2021 and has been part of the Queen’s University Rugby Future Stars programme.

Cooke’s Dulcie Bowden, who competes to a high level in swimming and water polo, joins returning lock Olivia McKinley in the second row. The highly-rated McKinley was a try scorer recently against the American EIRA outfit, and during last season’s semi-final defeat to Connacht.

The Connacht U-18s completed a famous double last season, winning both the Interprovincial 15s and Sevens titles, and Gavin Foley and Claire Coghlan have joined their coaching set-up which is headed up by Craig Hansberry.

Taking over as captain this year from her Creggs club-mate Sarah Purcell, centre Siofra Hession said: “Training’s been going quite well since we started off. We’re a very young team, but we’ve come together and Craig’s done a really good job to get us through the sessions.

“Getting used to working on different things, it is all new to most girls so it’s been tricky, but like, we’re all buzzing for this campaign and we can’t wait for the Interpros to start.

“Coming off the bat last year, we won every single game so we’ve kind of set high standards for ourselves. Going to Ulster is probably not going to be that easy, but hopefully we’ll get a good win and scare all the other provinces for the rest of the games!”

Westport’s Carla Palasz and Grace Kellett have important roles at out-half and tighthead prop respectively, while Ballinasloe duo Anna McDermott and Róisín Power both start in the back row. Power was part of the wider Ireland U-18 squad last season.

ULSTER U-18 WOMEN: Aoibhin Smith (Virginia RFC); Kaitlyn McMorrow (Letterkenny RFC), Erin McConalogue (Inishowen RFC), Caitlin Crowe (County Cavan RFC), Sinead Bowers (Enniskillen RFC); Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC), Erin Robinson (Ballymena RFC); Grace Simati (Letterkenny RFC), Rachael Henderson (Clogher Valley RFC), Aoife Prunty (Monaghan RFC), Olivia McKinley (Banbridge RFC), Dulcie Bowden (Cooke RFC), Laura Scott (Ards RFC), Niamh Fulton (Malone RFC), Cara McLean (Larne RFC).

Replacements: Shola Iluyemi (Ards RFC), Maeve O’Dwyer (Virginia RFC), Lily Reaney (City of Armagh RFC), Brooke Schoenfeldt (Banbridge RFC), Elinor van Lill (Virginia RFC), Elise McDermott (Limavady RFC), Abi Carson (Malone RFC), Tess McFadden (Monaghan RFC).

CONNACHT U-18 WOMEN: Roisin O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC); Kate Gallagher (Ballina RFC), Émer Collins (Ballina RFC), Siofra Hession (Creggs RFC) (capt), Aoife Heaney (Claremorris RFC); Carla Palasz (Westport RFC), Meabh Flannery (Galway Corinthians RFC); Ciara Corrigan (Creggs RFC), Uillin Eilian (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Grace Kellett (Westport RFC), Faith Durkin (Ballinrobe RFC), Katie Griffin (Loughrea RFC), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC), Ruby Jennings (Claremorris RFC), Róisín Power (Ballinasloe RFC).

Replacements: Amy O’Toole (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Cairínn Kearns (Gort/Monivea RFC), Louise Seoighe (Tuam/Oughterard RFC), Evie Kennedy (Balina RFC), Isabelle Quinn (Creggs RFC), Katie McNamara (Loughrea RFC), Aoibh Morrow (Connemara RFC), Esther Olanrewaju (Balinasloe RFC).

UPCOMING FIXTURES:

ROUND 2 –

Saturday, August 24:

Connacht U-18 Women v Munster U-18 Women, Galway Corinthians RFC, 1pm
Ulster U-18 Women v Leinster U-18 Women, Kingspan Stadium, 2pm

ROUND 3 –

Saturday, August 31:

Leinster U-18 Women v Connacht U-18 Women, Energia Park, 1pm
Munster U-18 Women v Ulster U-18 Women, Virgin Media Park, 3pm

FINALS DAY –

Saturday, September 7:

3rd Place v 4th Place, Buccaneers RFC, 1pm
1st Place v 2nd Place, Buccaneers RFC, 3pm