EIGHT UNCAPPED PLAYERS have made the 34-player Ireland squad for the upcoming Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
Scott Bemand, head coach, is gearing up for the opener which is against France on 23 March.
Among those to impress at the successful WXV3 Tournament in Dubai and the ongoing Celtic Challenge series, a number of contenders have put their hands up.
From the Dubai experience comes Katie Whelan and Ruth Campbell. Closer to home in the Celtic Challenge, the progress of Clare Gorman, Chisom Ugwuere, Katie Corrigan and Katie Heffernan has earned them their first taste of an Ireland squad.
Others to join the squad are Shannon Ikahihifo and Andrea Stock.
The captaincy will be retained by Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon in a joint capacity.
In addition to the 34 players included in the squad, Bemand has named seven players in a wider training panel who will also assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre when camp commences on Monday 26, February: India Daley, Kate Flannery, Hannah O’Connor, Maeve Óg O’Leary, Ivanna Kiripati, Leah Tarpey and Kayla Waldron.
Ireland open their Championship away to France at Stade Marie-Marvingt on Saturday, 23 March (Kick-off 3.15pm, Irish time live on RTÉ), before facing Italy at home in the RDS on Easter Sunday, 31 March. (Kick-off 3pm, live on RTÉ).
After a down week, the campaign resumes with another home game, in Virgin Media Park in Cork against Wales on Saturday, 13 April (Kick-off 4.45pm, live on Virgin Media), and then Bemands’ side are away to England in Twickenham Stadium on Saturday, 20 April (Kick-off 2.15pm, live on Virgin Media).
Ireland conclude the Championships at home in Kingspan Stadium, against Scotland on Saturday, 27 April (Kick-off 2.30pm, live on RTÉ).
Bemand has also confirmed his Coaching Team for the 2024 Championship, Declan Danaher (Defence Coach) joins the coaching panel as Denis Fogarty (Scrum Coach) and Larissa Muldoon (Assistant Backs; Attack Coach) continue in their roles alongside John McKee (Senior Coach).
CPR should be part of secondary school
It should be part of the PE training.
Well done to his wife he’s a very lucky man
@Ian Moylan Excellent point. It’s sensible suggestions like that one which we should really be vocal about and not some of the other nonsense these Teachers unions and civil servants moan about.
@Ian – No, it’s more important to brainwash them with the ‘Green Schools Program’.
? teaching to be efficient and resource conscious is brainwashing? strangest thing I’ve ever heard
Hope he can make a full recovery so he can get back on TV to keep some manners on Brolly. Get well soon
Just proves everyone should have even basic first aid training. Delighted your wife knew it Michael. Best wishes and remember your health is your wealth.
A gentleman, hope to see you back soon.
Excellent work from his wife. CPR and Defibrillator use is not difficult, it is a skill that everyone should learn. A short course can be completed in 3 hours, and should be part of the school curriculum and also a requirement for the driving test. Well done again to all concerned here, from his wife at scene, through to the call takers, paramedics, A&E staff, and cardiologists. Hoping he makes a quick recovery
Great story. .
He’s a very very lucky man, fair play to his missis.
Wouldn’t it be great if every home in Ireland had a defib and we were all trained in CPR.
We have our faults (political corruption) but we’re a great nation all the same and should lead again by example and strive for this.
He’s a lucky man, thankfully everything worked out for him. He’s a great presenter – as rare as hen’s teeth in RTE. I hope to see him back on the TV screens soon. Although, I’d rather keep Darragh Moloney for the live games and move Michael to the 9.30pm TSG slot. Des Cahill is ruining the 9.30pm show.
Preferred Spillane on the highlights show, he wasn’t in awe of the pundits and would give them questions to make them squirm a bit. That said best of luck Michael hope to see you back live soon
Spillane was woeful on hurling though. Michael Lyster is great at both codes.
intinsity
Hopefully Lyster is back behind Sunday Game desk soon as he’s been doing a fantastic job for three decades. Nice bloke too.
On a side issue with soccer, rugby and GAA , Joanne Cantwell is doing a good professional job keeping the show on the road.
Fair play to his wife for keeping her cool in such a terrifying situation.
you’re not supposed to give the kiss of live, it’s chest comprehensions only , journal should change the article title as it spreads misinformation
If untrained, ‘compressions only’ is advised. However mouth to mouth resuscitation is taught on approved courses with a face mask barrier advised. Mouth to mouth would only be recommended to a relative or someone well known to the rescuer
Reynolds you are an idiot
Fair play to his wife recognising that it was a heart attack and knowing what to do. Not all massive heart attack symptoms are the same, when my husband had his, the symptoms were dizziness and severe indigestion type pain, then turned completely white and drenched in sweat with no loss of consciousness. Instinctively I got him in the car and drove like a bat out of hell to the a&e. Turns out we got there just in time, he would only have lasted another ten minutes or so. I believe an initiative on the TV like the one for strokes, that would inform the public about the differing symptoms that heart attacks present and what action to take to try and save the person.
Get well soon Michael. A gent.
Get well soon.. A gent.