Ireland Women's squad named for Wales warm-up fixture
Ireland Women's Head Coach Adam Griggs has named a 25-woman squad for this weekend's warm-up fixture against Wales on Sunday at 1pm, the at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach, Caerphilly.
There are 7 uncapped players named in the squad, up front, Galwegians duo; prop Laura Feeley and back-row Edel McMahon are named along with Railway Union second-row Aoife McDermott.
In the backs, Blackrock centre Michelle Claffey, Old Belvedere's Megan Williams, Railway Union's Susan Vaughan and UK based Annette Thomas of Abbey Ladies will all be looking to impress ahead of the first Women's Six Nations against France.
The side will be captained for the first time by UL Bohemian and Munster flanker Ciara Griffin.
Speaking ahead of the weekend's fixture, Griggs said;
"We've had some very productive camps since I started with the team, and the trip to Wales this weekend will give us the chance to test out new combinations and look at some of the key areas the players have been working on.
There's a number of uncapped players included who have impressed in the Interprovincial games before Christmas and during our recent camps, so I'm looking forward to seeing them test themselves at International level and hopefully giving me some selection headaches over the coming weeks.
We have also allowed a few players this weekend off to recover from some minor knocks that they've picked up over the course of camps and during the tough interpros, but we expect to have them all available for selection for the opening Women's Six Nations game against France in Toulouse in a just over two weeks' time.”
Tickets for the warm-up fixture are available on the gate at the CCB Centre for Sporting Excellence, Ystrad Mynach, priced at £5.
Ireland get their Women's Six Nations campaign underway against France on the 3rd of February in Toulouse, they will then play Italy, Wales and Scotland at home in Donnybrook before meeting England in their final game at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry
Tickets for Ireland's home games are available now via ticketmaster.ie
Ireland Women's Squad for Wales Warm-Up Fixture, Sunday 21st Jan
Forwards:
Elaine Anthony (Highfield / Munster)
Anna Caplice (UL Bohemian / Munster)
Laura Feely (Galwegians / Connacht)*
Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary's College / Leinster)
Nichola Fryday (Tullamore / Connacht)
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian / Munster)
Leah Lyons (Highfield / Munster)
Aoife McDermott (Railway Union / Leinster)*
Edel McMahon ((Galwegians / Connacht)*
Claire Molloy (Bristol)
Cliodhna Moloney (Railway Union / Leinster)
Ciara O'Connor (Galwegians / Connacht)
Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian / Munster)
Ilse Van Staden (Cooke RFC/Ulster)
Backs:
Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemians / Munster)
Michelle Claffey (Blackrock College / Leinster)*
Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian / Munster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union / Leinster)
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union / Leinster)
Claire McLaughlin (Cooke / Ulster)
Alison Miller (Old Belvedere / Connacht)
Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere / Leinster)
Annette Thomas (Abbey Ladies RFC)*
Susan Vaughan (Railway Union / Leinster)*
Megan Williams (Old Belvedere / Leinster)*
Ireland Women's Six Nations Fixtures 2018
Saturday 3rd February 2018
France Women v Ireland Women, 9pm (local) / 8pm (GMT), Stade Ernst Wallon, Toulouse
Sunday 11th February 2018
Ireland Women v Italy Women, 1pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Sunday 25th February 2018
Ireland Women v Wales Women, 3pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Sunday 11th March 2018
Ireland Women v Scotland Women, 1pm, Donnybrook Stadium, Dublin
Friday 16th March 2018
England Women v Ireland Women, 5.30pm, Ricoh Arena, Coventry