Ireland Women’s Team Named For USA

Ireland Women’s Head Coach Adam Griggs has named the 23 players to face USA Women this Sunday in Energia Park at 1.00pm.

A total of five Munster players have been selected within the match-day squad, including the uncapped UL Bohs’ wing Laura Sheehan, clubmates Eimear Considine, Fiona Reidy, and captain Ciara Griffin, while Nicole Cronin takes her position on the bench.

Former UL Bohs’ prop Leah Lyons is also named among the replacements.

In what will be Griggs’ first November International at the helm, he has included four uncapped players in a side that has a balance between new talent and experience. Tickets are on sale now from ticketmaster.ie

The game will be live streamed on Irish Rugby TV on YouTube and here on IrishRugby.ie

In the front-row, Lindsay Peat makes her 23rd appearance at loose-head, and packs down alongside IQ Rugby hooker Sarah Mimnagh, who makes her return to the green jersey, having last lined out for Ireland during the 2015 Women’s Six Nations. UL Bohs’ tight-head Reidy completes the front-row.

The second-row is comprised of Aoife McDermott and Ciara Cooney, and the back-row sees Edel McMahon alongside the experienced duo of Claire Molloy and captain Griffin.

Railway Union RFC provide the half-back partnership in scrum-half Ailsa Hughes and out-half Nikki Caughey, with Michelle Claffey and Sene Naoupu forming the centre partnership.

The back-three has two new caps in full-back Lauren Delany, who has also come through the IQ Rugby Programme and winger Sheehan. Sheehan’s UL Bohs clubmate Eimear Considine starts on the opposite wing.

There are also two uncapped players amongst the replacements, with St.Mary’s College hooker Emma Hooban and Ballinasloe’s Beibhinn Parsons looking to win their first caps on Sunday afternoon.

Parsons will become the youngest player to wear the green jersey in an International test match in the modern era as she turns 17 later this month.

She has come through the Women’s Talent ID programme, lined out for the Ireland U18s 7s side at the home nations tournament in July where Adam Griggs was coach. She also impressed at the U18 Interprovincials with Connacht, who went on to claim the title and just last week was on the victorious Ardscoil Mhuire side that claimed the national Girls X7s title.

Speaking on the announcement of the squad, Griggs said: “We’ve named what we believe to be an exciting side for this weekend’s game, with a blend of experienced players along with some new faces who have impressed across the Women’s AIL and the Interpro series.

We’ve had some really good preparation over the last two months in camp and the competition amongst the squad has really driven our standards, which in turn has raised the quality of our rugby throughout the side.
Selections were not an easy task and the players chosen to represent our squad and the jersey this week have stood up and worked hard to earn their selection.

This will be the USA’s third game in as many weeks, Which I’m sure has given them the chance to bond and gel as a squad. They had two tough games against the Black Ferns and England that they will certainly have learnt a lot from and come Sunday there is no doubt they will be match ready for us which will be the challenge we must rise to from the start.

It’s an exciting two weeks for this squad and we hope to see a big turn out on Sunday in Energia Park to support the team.”

IRELAND WOMEN’S Team & Replacements (v USA Women, 2018 November International, Enegria Park, Dublin, Sunday, November 18, kick-off 1.00pm):

15. Lauren Delany (Firwood Waterloo Ladies/IQ Rugby) *
14. Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/Munster)
13. Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
12. Michelle Claffey (Blackrock College/Leinster)
11. Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemian/Munster) *

10. Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Leinster)
9. Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster)

1. Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
2. Sarah Mimnagh (Richmond/IQ Rugby)
3. Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian/Munster)
4. Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)
5. Ciara Cooney (Railway Union/Leinster)
6. Edel McMahon (Galwegians/Connacht)
7. Claire Molloy (Wasps)
8. Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian/Munster) C

Replacements
16. Emma Hooban (St.Mary’s College/Leinster) *
17. Laura Feely (Galwegians/Connacht)
18. Leah Lyons (Harlequins)
19. Nichola Fryday (Galwegians/Connacht)
20. Jeamie Deacon (Blackrock College/Leinster)
21. Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian/Munster)
22. Claire McLaughlin (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
23. Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Connacht) *

*Denotes uncapped

IRELAND WOMEN’S November Tests

IRELAND Women v USA Women
18th November 2018
Kick-Off: 1.00pm
Energia Park, Dublin
Tickets via ticketmaster.ie: http://fal.cn/IreWvUSAWTickets

IRELAND Women v England Women
24th November 2018
Kick-Off: 5.40pm
Twickenham Stadium, London
Tickets: www.eticketing.co.uk/rfu
Live: Sky Sports Action