Following a series of camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre and a training camp in England, head coach Niamh Briggs has selected a squad of 28 players to travel to Parma, where Ireland will face England, Italy and Scotland.
Galwegians forward Jane Neill (pictured) has been named captain, while Kate Flannery of UL Bohemian is vice-captain. With each team permitted to include three U23 players in their match day squad, Briggs has selected Ruth Campbell, Amanda McQuade, Chisom Ugwueru, Faith Oviawe and Ivana Kiripati to travel.Ireland’s opening match is against England on Thursday, 4 July (Kick-off 5.30pm Irish time), before Briggs’ side face Italy in Match Day 2 on Tuesday, 9 July (Kick-off 9am Irish time).
The campaign concludes against Scotland on Sunday, 14 July (Kick-off 9am), with all matches streamed live on the Six Nations U20 YouTube Channel, as well on IrishRugby.ie.
Hannah Wilson, Clara Barrett, Kiripati, Campbell, Neill and Flannery all featured in last year’s Ireland U20 squad in a series of matches against Scotland and Italy.Six players named in the travelling squad featured in this year’s Energia All-Ireland League Final at Aviva Stadium, including Player of the Match Ugwueru, as well as Beth Buttimer, Brianna Heylmann, Faith Oviawe, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Flannery.
Fifteen of the 28 players also featured in this year’s Celtic Challenge for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Campbell, Kiripati, Flannery and Ugwuere were named in the Ireland training panel for the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.Speaking about the tournament, Briggs said, “It’s exciting for all of us to be part of this tournament. Having these structures in place at U18 and U20 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.”
Ireland U20 Squad for the Women's Summer Series
FORWARDS:
Sophie Barrett – Enniskillen/Railway Union/Ulster, Grainne Burke – Ennis/Munster, Kelly Burke – Mullingar/Leinster, Beth Buttimer – UL Bohemian/Munster, Ruth Campbell – Old Belvedere/Leinster, Aoibheann Hahessy – UL Bohemian/Munster, Brianna Heylmann – UL Bohemian/Munster, Ivana Kiripati – American International College/Connacht, Roisin Maher – Galwegians/Connacht, Amanda McQuade – Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby, Lily Morris – Killarney/Munster, Eadaoin Murtagh – Old Belvedere/Leinster, Jane Neill – Galwegians/Leinster (CAPTAIN), Cliodhna Ni Chonchobhair – Blackrock College/Leinster, Faith Oviawe – Railway Union/Connacht, Hannah Wilson – Old Belvedere/Leinster
BACKS:
Clara Barrett – UL Bohemian/Connacht, Ellen Boylan – Blackrock College/Munster,,Hannah Clarke – Tuam/Oughterard/Connacht, Kate Flannery – UL Bohemian/Munster (VICE CAPTAIN), Jade Gaffney – Old Belvedere/Leinster, Niamh Gallagher – Saracens/IQ Rugby, May Goulding – Saracens/Old Albanian Saints/IQ Rugby, Lucia Linn – Loughborough University/IQ Rugby, Éabha Ni Dhonnacha – Tuam/Oughterard/UL Bohemian/Connacht, Robyn O’Connor – Wexford Wanderers/Leinster, Ellie O’Sullivan/Sexton – Mullingar/Leinster, Chisom Ugwueru – UL Bohemian/Munster
IRELAND U20 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 – U20 SIX NATIONS WOMEN’S SUMMER SERIES
England v Ireland, Thursday, July 4, kick off 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time Ireland v Italy, Tuesday, July 9, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time Ireland v Scotland, Sunday, July 14, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time
