Ireland Women coach Tom Tierney has named a 26-woman squad for the start of his side’s Six Nations title defence.
The IRFU has arranged a warm-up against Wales for Sunday week [midday kick-off] that will hopefully provide a successful launching pad.
The match, which takes place at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence in Caerphilly, South Wales, and will allow Tierney a chance to have a final look at players and combinations before he names his Six Nations squad.
Stalwarts Niamh Briggs, Sophie Spence and Mary Louise Reilly are all included, as well as relative newcomers such as Zoe Grattage, Elaine Anthony and Mairead Coyne.
Tierney says, “We’ve had some good camps over the past few months, and with the England game in November and now this warm-up fixture against Wales, we’re getting the opportunity to try out some different combinations and build our squad ahead of the Six Nations.
“We’ve got a nice mix of youth and experience within the team so it will be good to get a final run out before we start the tournament in Donnybrook.”
Ireland kick off their title defence against Wales in Donnybrook on Saturday, February 6 [at 1pm].
IRELAND WOMEN
Forwards
- Elaine Anthony (Munster / Highfield)
- Ciara Cooney (Leinster / Railway Union)
- Ailis Egan (Leinster/ Old Belvedere)
- Grainne Egan (Connacht / St.Mary’s)
- Paula Fitzpatrick (Stade Toulousain)
- Zoe Grattage (Munster / Tralee)
- Ciara Griffin (Munster / Tralee)
- Claire Molloy (Connacht / Bristol)
- Heather O’Brien (Stade Toulousain)
- Fiona O’Brien (Leinster/ Old Belvedere)
- Ruth O’Reilly (Munster / Galwegians)
- Lindsay Peat (Leinster / Railway Union)
- Fiona Reidy (Munster / U.L Bohemians)
- Marie-Louise Reilly (Leinster/ Old Belvedere)
- Sophie Spence (Leinster/ Old Belvedere)
Backs
- Niamh Briggs (Munster / U.L Bohemians)
- Liz Burke (Munster / U.L Bohemians)
- Nikki Caughey (Ulster / Railway Union)
- Mairead Coyne (Connacht / Galwegians)
- Aine Donnelly (Leinster/ Cill Dara)
- Mary Healy (Connacht / Galwegians)
- Claire McLaughlin (Ulster / Queen’s University)
- Larissa Muldoon (Exiles / Skewen)
- Sene Naoupu (Connacht / Galwegians)
- Elise O’Byrne-White (Leinster/ Old Belvedere)
- Jackie Shiels (Exiles / Richmond)
