Australia and WXV1 on the Menu
Scott Bemand has named 35 players to represent Ireland in the international against the Wallaroos and WXV1. They are:
Forwards (19)
Sophie Barrett (Railway Union/Ulster)*, Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*, Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College/Leinster), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster), Shannon Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Erin King (Old Belvedere)*, Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster)*, Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht), Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), Grace Moore (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere/ Munster), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Andrea Stock (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)*, Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)
Backs (16)
Enya Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster),
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht), Stacey Flood (Railway Union), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht), Katie Heffernan (Railway Union/Leinster)*, Eve Higgins (Railway Union), Emily Lane (Blackrock College), Anna McGann (Railway Union), Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian/ Munster)*, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster), Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/ Leinster), Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers/Leinster)*, Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian/Munster)*, Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere/Leinster)*
Six Training Panellists
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster), Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard/Connacht)*, Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian/Munster)*, Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian/Munster)*, Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow)*, Faith Oviawe (Railway Union/Connacht)
*uncapped
Prospects
Since the schedule includes the one extra test, this isn’t a final WXV choice; there are five too many for that.
In any international selection the interest these days is in the number of Sevens players included, the number of uncapped players and any dead certs missing through injury.
The first group amounts to five: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Emily Lane, Erin King, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood. The IRFU is still in the process of adjusting the balance between 7s and 15s.
The uncapped players add up to ten, a large figure that reveals the management’s efforts to widen the player-pool. Two sources are the Under 20’s Summer Series and the Inter-pros.
I fear they do not quite compensate for the list of absentees through injury: Aoibheann Reilly, Béibhinn Parsons, Katie Corrigan, Natasja Behan and Sadhbh McGrath and Sam Monaghan. The IRFU’s report doesn’t make crystal clear whether any of these six players might be available by the time WXV comes along. Common sense tells us not to be over-optimisitc.
The Australia match will be a fascinating chance for the hosts to measure their progress. The gap between them amounts to five ranking places (5th – 10th), but Ireland have been on the crest of a wave. The Wallaroos have found victories difficult, resulting in their relegation from WXV1.
Details: 14 September, Kingspan Stadium, Belfast; KO 14.30 BST
Jo Yapp has been no more than cautiously optimisitc in her recent statements. It’s a sign of the neglect the Wallaroos have suffered that when they meet the Boks in WXV2 it will be for the first time in a decade. Contrast that span with the Wallabies.
