The Six Squads The full squads are listed below.
The third edition of the competition has an extra edge. In addition to the search for the Celtic crown, players have the chance of gaining a coveted place in a national World Cup squad.
That may explain the presence of so many who might have been contemplating retirement, but decided to give it one more go. Dare I suggest names? No, I’m too much of a gentleman, but it’s the sort of issue the managements will have firmly in mind.
Present and Past
The six teams play a full schedule of home and away fixtures. Performances at international level have already demonstrated the benefits the CC has brought.
Irish sides won the first two Challenges, and it’s hard to see either Scotland or Wales surpassing them. ‘Structure’ is not among most people’s 100 favourite words, but in rugby it pays dividends. The Irish squads are carefully composed of representatives from every relevant stage of development, right up to international level.
Look carefully at the squads below, and you’ll spot names of capped players from all three nations. One of the coaching staffs’ challenges is to blend the different pedigrees, from Under 20s, through past CC experience to national squad level, to produce the maximum effect.
Straws in the Wind
In there any significance in the sequence in which the squads were announced? Ireland were first, Scotland second and Wales last, by a distance.
The Squads
Ireland
Their teams are composed of the two eastern provinces (Leinster and Ulster = Wolfhounds) and two western (Cannacht and Munster = Clovers); some flexibilty allowed. You will spot numbers of players either in or close to the current national squad.
Wolfhounds
Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan), Anna Doyle (Blackrock College), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere), Caoimhe Molloy (Wicklow), Cara Martin (Blackrock College), Christy Haney (Blackrock College), Ciara Short (Wicklow), Claire Boles (Railway Union), Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College), Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere), Ella Roberts (Wicklow), Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere), Erin McConnell (Wicklow), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere), Katie Heffernan (Railway Union), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere), Maebh Clenaghan (Queen’s University), Molly Boyne (Railway Union), Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere), Poppy Garvey (Railway Union), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College), Tricia Doyle (Railway Union)
Clovers
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian), Aoibhe O’Flynn (UL Bohemian), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian), Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere), Eabha Nic Dhonnacha (UL Bohemian), Ella Burns (Tuam Oughterard), Emily Gavin (Railway Union), Enya Breen (Blackrock College), Faith Oviawe (Railway Union), Grace Browne Moran (Galwegians), Grainne Burke (UL Bohemian), Grainne Moran (Galwegians), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian), Jane Neill (Old
Belvedere), Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian), Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian), Meabh Deely (Blackrock College), Muirne Wall (UL Bohemian), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke), Saoirse Crowe (Shannon, Shirley Bailey (Ballincollig), Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen)
Scotland
To me, the exclusive presence of the two greatest cities represents a weakness, not a strength. Scottish rugby needs to broaden its scope. The disappearance of Borders’ players has been a big loss to the national game. It’s more encouraging to spot a few place names well to the north of the lowland belt.
Edinburgh Rugby
Adelle Ferrie (Corstophine Cougars), Aila Ronald (Uni of Edinburgh), Alex Stewart (Corstophine Cougars), Alison Wilson (Heriots), Caroline Bullock (Uni of Edinburgh), Charlotte Russell (Watsonians), Chloe Brown (Stirling County), Faye Sutherland (Corstophine Cougars), Georgia Young (Watsonians), Hannah McMahon (Uni of Edinburgh), Karis Craig (Watsonians), Megan Rioch (Garloch), Merryn Gunderson (Corstophine Cougars), Millie Copoldi (Heriots), Molly Poolman (Watsonians), Natasha Logan (Uni of Edinburgh), Samoanther Taganekurukuru (Stirling County), Talei Tawake (Watsonians), Ami Conchie (Watsonians), April McKenzie (Watsonians), Dawn Lawrie (Watsonians), Emily Love (Corstophine Cougars), Giselle Chicot (Watsonians), Hannah Ramsey (Uni of Edinburgh), Hannah Walker (Uni of Edinburgh), Holly McIntyre (Uni of Edinburgh), Lisa Brown (Uni of Edinburgh), Lucy Macrae (Uni of Edinburgh), Pip Benson (Corstophine Cougars), Rhea Clarke (Uni of Edinburgh)
Glasgow
Holland Bogan (Stirling County), Poppy Clarkson (Biggar), Emily Coubrough (Uni of Edinburgh), Louise Downie (Ayr), Poppy Fletcher (Uni of Edinburgh), Erinn Foley (Hillhead Jordanhill), Megan Hyland (Garioch), Katie Lindsay (Corstorphine Cougars) Maia MacDonald (Stirling County), Eilidh MacGilvray (Highland), Sarah Murdoch (Stirling County), Aicha Sutcliffe (Stirling County), Ailie Tucker (Watsonians), Freya Walker (Watsonians), Alex Ward (Garioch), Kate Yeomans (Hillhead Jordanhill), Aisha Zameer (University of Strathclyde), Ceitidh Ainsworth (Stirling County), Rebekah Douglas (Corstophine Cougars), Abi Evans (Stirling County), Roma Fraser (Hillhead Jordanhill), Erika Gladwin (Corstorphine Cougars), Lisa Martin (Corstophine Cougars), Carla MacDonald (Hillhead Jordanhill), Briar McNamara (Watsonians), Poppy Mellanby (Biggar), Mary Nelson (Watsonians), Sky Phimister (Stirling County), Beth Tobin (Hillhead Jordanhill), Millie Warren (Hillhead Jordanhill)
Wales
Brython represent west Wales, Gwalia the east. The official lists don’t include club affinities.
Brython Thunder
Meg Lewis, Elan Jones, Chloe Thomas Bradley, Lowri Williams, Cadi-Lois Davies, Katie Carr, Chloe Gant, Evie Gill, Poppy Hughes, Robyn Davies, Natalia John, Lucy Isaac, Jess Rogers, Anna Stowell, Dnai Mugabe, Kira Philpott, Seren Singleton, Bethan Adkins, Niamh Terry, Hanna Marshall, Savannah Picton-Powell, Hannah Bluck, Meg Webb, Ellie Tromans, Gabby healan, Hannah Lane, Amy Williams, Eleanor Hing, Ffion Davies, Rhiannon Griffin
Gwalia Lightning
Cana Williams, Dali Hopkins, Danyelle Dinapoli, Jenni Scoble, Maisie Davies, Katherine Baverstock, Mollie May Crabb, Molly Reardon, Molly Wakely, Alaw Pyrs, Erin Jones, Paige Jones, Cartin Stewart, Lily Terry, Gwenan Hopkins, Bryonie King, Sydney Mead, Sian Jones, Katie Bevans, Carys Hughes, Molly Anderson-Thomas, Kerin Lake, Jenna De Vera, Kelsie Webster, Lowri Davies, Carys Williams-Morris, Catherine Richards, Caitlin Lewis, Courtney Greenway, Rhodd Parry
Dates: 21 December – 9 March
Since the whole concept is a build-up to the Six Nations, the teams may have to put up with the unfriendliest weather of the year. The 6N wisely moved itself to the relative balm of early springtime.
