Scott Bemand has named a 40-strong Ireland squad to train for the coming Six Nations.
They are:
Forwards (22):
Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan)*
Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster) (11 caps) Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian)*
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster) (27)
Christy Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster) (19) Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster) (3)
Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs) (38)
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere/Munster) (11) Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster) (32)
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (30)
Erin King (Old Belvedere) (4)
Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster) (10)
Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby) (17) Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian/Munster)*
Jane Neill (Old Belvedere (Leinster)*
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster) (41)
Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) (30)
Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster) (11)
Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster) (2)
Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster) (13)
Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster) (4) Sophie Barrett (Railway Union/Ulster)*
Backs (18):
Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union/Munster) (13) Amy Larn (Athy)*
Anna McGann (Railway Union) (6)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht) (12) Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster) (18)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht) (26) Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian/Munster)*
Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster) (19)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College) (10)
Enya Breen (Blackrock College/Munster) (25) Eve Higgins (Railway Union) (21)
Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere) (5)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union/Leinster)* Méabh Deely (Blackrock College/Connacht) (13) Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster) (20)
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians/Connacht) (14) Stacey Flood (Railway Union) (14)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow) (1) *uncapped
This early news gives us a valuable insight into the structures that lie below the six elite squads.
Bemand has included eight uncapped players who have impressed in the Celtic Challenge, the Under 20s and even, in the case of Alma Atagamen, the Under 18s.
They are the clearest indication of a flourishing pathway system. It remains to be seen how many find favour in the big time.
Rather surprisingly, Linda Djougang remains the only player to boast more than 40 caps.
Amongst other Sevens players, Béibhinn Parsons is listed, though she is currently injured. The hope must be that she will have recovered before Round Five arrives in April. The presence of stars such as Amee-Leigh Costigan, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood shows that the IRFU is intent on presenting the strongest possible squad for a World Cup Year.
A glance back at 2017 and 2021/22 offers a hint why. The 2017 version was hosted in Dublin and Belfast, preceded by a huge publicity blast across the island. But the team’s performance fell far below expectations. Even worse, Ireland didn’t qualify for the next RWC. They lost a key qualifier to Scotland in 2021, giving rise to headlines like “Tears and Fears”.
That is the measure of their recovery in the past two years, and their determination to set the record straight.
The one piece of bad news is the continued absence through injury of co-captain, Sam Monaghan. It means that Edel McMahon continues in sole charge.
Ireland face a big challenge to start the 6N tournament; France visit Kingspan Belfast on 22 March in Round One. We will see how far they have maintained their upward trajectory since coming second in WXV1 in Vancouver last autumn.
They have the impetus of success in the ongoing Celtic Challenge, where Wolfhounds stand top and Clovers third. Between them they have lost two games in nine.
They start training in Dublin on 17 February.
