Ireland have announced the two squads to make up the Clovers (Connacht and Munster combined) and the Wolfhounds (Leinster and Ulster combined). Each is 30 strong.
They contain so many familiar names from recent 6 Nations duels and the WXV that you might think the Irish authoities are taking the competition extremely seriously. They won the inaugural event and look unwilling to hand over the trophy.
Their opening fixture:
Wolfhounds v Clovers
Friday, 29 December 2023, Musgrave Park – kick off 4pm
CLOVERS SQUAD
FORWARDS:
Lily Brady (UL Bohemians/Connacht), Clare Bennett (UL Bohemians/Munster), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemians/Munster), Eilis Cahill (UL Bohemians/Munster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemians/Munster), Brianna Heylman (UL Bohemians/Munster), Eva McCormack (UL Bohemians/Connacht), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), Jane Neill (Galwegians/Leinster), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock/Munster), Niamh O Dowd (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), Roisin Ormond (Ballincollig/Munster), Faith Ovawie (Railway Union/Connacht), Shannon Touhey (Tullamore/Connacht), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock/Munster)
BACKS:
Clara Barrett (UL Bohemians/Connacht), Ellen Boylan (Blackrock/Munster), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemians/Munster), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemians/Munster), Maebh Deely (Blackrock/ Connacht), Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/Munster), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemians/Munster),
Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster), Laoise McGonagle (UL Bohemians/Connacht), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemians/Munster), Michelle O’Driscoll (Ballincollig/Munster), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemians/Munster), Kayla Waldron (Railway Union/ Connacht)
CLOVERS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Head Coach – Denis Fogarty Assistant Coach – Niamh Briggs
WOLFHOUNDS SQUAD
FORWARDS:
Sophie Barrett (Railway Union/Ulster), Molly Boyne (Railway Union/Leinster), Keelin Brady (Railway Union/Ulster), Maebh Clenaghan (Queens University/Ulster), Megan Collis (Railway Union/Leinster), Eimear Corri (Blackrock/Leinster), India Daley (Blackrock/Ulster), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock/Leinster)Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Christy Haney (Blackrock/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster), Aoife Moore (Blackrock/Leinster), Eadain Murtagh (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock/Leinster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock/Leinster)
BACKS:
Natasja Behan (Blackrock/Leinster), Nikki Caughey (Railway Union/Leinster), Aimee Clarke (Railway Union/Leinster), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), Ella Durkan (Blackrock/Ulster), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Niamh Marley (Cooke/Ulster), Erin McConnell (Wicklow/Leinster), Kelly McCormil (Cooke/Ulster), Dannah
O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Ava Ryder (Railway Union/Connacht), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union/Leinster), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
WOLFHOUNDS MANAGEMENT TEAM
Head Coach Neil Alcorn Assistant Coach Michelle Claffey