Women's

Ireland name squad for Women’s Six Nations resumption

Aoife Doyle celebrates with Sene Naoupu and Aoife McDermott after the game 9/2/2020
Head coach Adam Griggs believes Ireland can maintain their strong form when the Women’s Six Nations resumes.

Head coach Adam Griggs believes Ireland can maintain their strong form when the Women’s Six Nations resumes.

Griggs named his 36-player squad for the Championship’s resumption, with Ireland set to play both Italy and France as they bid to make it four wins from five.

Ireland lost to England in their last match but did beat Scotland and Wales in Rounds 1 and 2, leaving them third in the table.

“We are picking up where we left off over five months ago. At the outset of this year’s tournament we had clear priorities set,” he said.

“Our aim was to win our three home games and play competitively in our two away games and we felt like we were in a good place before the postponement of the tournament.

“We have stayed connected as a team who trained remotely throughout the lockdown. We have a number of training dates in the schedule ahead of the tournament and it will be good to get together.

“We have a busy few months ahead of us, and look forward to getting back to playing rugby.”

Ireland started their campaign with a 18-14 home win against Scotland, with Sene Naoupu, Cliodhna Moloney and Beibhinn Parsons all on the try-sheet.

They then beat Wales 31-12, with Parsons, Moloney, Lauren Delany and Linda Djougang all touching down.

England were too strong and won 27-0 in Round 3, while their last two matches against Italy and France both promise to be tight affairs.

Backs: Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Michelle Claffey (Blackrock/ Leinster) Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/ Ulster) Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/ IQ Rugby) Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/ Munster) Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/ Leinster) Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/ Leinster) Claire Keohane (Railway Union/ Munster) Larissa Muldoon (Railway Union/ Leinster) Ellen Murphy (Blackrock/Leinster) Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/ Leinster) Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock/ Connacht) Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Shannon Touhey (Suttonians/ Connacht)* Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/ Leinster)

Forwards: Judy Bobbett (Blackrock/ Leinster) Anna Caplice (Harlequins/ IQ Rugby) Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/ Leinster) Victoria Dabanovich O’Mahony (Old Belvedere/ Leinster) Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/ Leinster) Laura Feeley (Blackrock/ Connacht) Nichola Fryday (Old Belvedere/ Connacht) Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)* Leah Lyons (Harlequins/ IQ Rugby) Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/ Leinster) Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/ Ulster) Edel McMahon (Wasps/ IQ Rugby) Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/ IQ Rugby) Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock/ Leinster) Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union/ Leinster)* Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian/ Munster) Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/ Leinster) Dorothy Wall (Railway Union/ Munster)