GRAHAM SHAW HAS included four uncapped players in his Ireland squad for their warm-weather training camp in Chile, as the Green Army’s preparations intensify for next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
16 of the panel that won World Cup silver during the summer are included in the extended travelling party, as Ireland get set to play four games against Chile in the first capped fixtures since their exploits in London.
Twins Bethany and Serena Barr are among the uncapped quartet having come back into international selection consideration following spells in the US on scholarship with Liberty University Flames in Virgina.
Bethany is now back in the domestic EY Women’s Hockey League playing for UCD, while Serena is plying her trade with English outfit Beeston in Nottingham.
The other new faces are Railway Union forward Sarah Hawkshaw and St Andrew’s College student Amy Elliot, who was involved in the recent training camp and three uncapped games against Spain having impressed at Ireland U18 and U21 level.
Goalkeeper Grace O’Flanagan, Lizzie Colvin and Shirley McCay are the trio absent from the World Cup squad, with the latter still deliberating over whether she’ll extend her international career into 2019.
“While 2018 has been the most incredible, historic year for the Green Army we firmly have our sights set on 2019 and Olympic qualification,” Shaw, who was named RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year on Saturday, said.
“We are keen to hit the ground running in the New Year and this long warm weather camp in Chile is the ideal start for us. Chile are an improving side that will prove valuable opponents for our entire squad, both senior members and newer additions to our panel.”
Ireland, currently knee-deep in an intense physical training block before Christmas, will play Chile in Santiago on 12, 13, 15 and 16 January as part of the trip.
Shaw’s side begin their Tokyo 2020 qualifying campaign with an eight-team FIH Series finals event in June, which will be hosted by Hockey Ireland.
The Green Army, ranked eighth in the world, will be top seeds for that home tournament, and will be bidding to be one of two sides to progress to the final playoffs for the Olympics.
It now looks increasingly likely that the games will be staged at UCD’s National Hockey Stadium, after the college confirmed it will belatedly begin the much-needed upgrade of the water-based playing pitch.
Having failed to meet FIH standards in recent years, the Belfield venue had become unfit for purpose but UCD now say work will begin on the project in April/May over an eight-week window, with the hope of staging club and international fixtures again from June 2019 onwards.
“We are delighted to announce the resurfacing of the main pitch at our Hockey Stadium which has reached the end of its lifespan after providing our students with fantastic sporting moments and memories over the past 20 years,” UCD’s director of student services and facilities, Dominic O’Keefe, said.
The announcement follows Friday’s news that Sport Ireland will install a new state-of-the-art pitch on the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown, which will serve as a training base for the men’s and women’s national senior teams.
Ireland squad:
Goalkeepers: Ayeisha McFerran (University of Louisville), Emma Buckley (Racing), Liz Murphy (Loreto).
Defenders: Hannah Matthews (Loreto), Lena Tice (UCD), Serena Barr (Beeston), Bethany Barr (UCD), Zoe Wilson (Belfast Harlequins), Roisin Upton (Catholic Institute), Gemma Frazer (Belfast Harlequins), Yvonne O’Byrne (Cork Harlequins).
Midfielders: Gillian Pinder (Pembroke), Katie Mullan (Club an der Alster), Ali Meeke (Loreto), Megan Frazer (Manheim), Nicci Daly (Loreto), Amy Elliot (Railway Union), Ruth Maguire (Pegasus), Chloe Watkins (Monkstown).
Forwards: Anna O’Flanagan (Pinoke), Sarah Torrans (Loreto), Deirdre Duke (Dusseldorf), Sarah Hawkshaw (Railway Union), Nikki Evans (UHC Hamburg), Emily Beatty (Pembroke), Aisling Naughton (Pembroke).
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Love Robbie but not sure this is a great idea. We have massive competition in the centre and he’s already over 30 and not a great injury profile. Maybe these contracts should include a part payment to the club provided they bring through a younger player in the same position. In robbies case osbourne or tractor ( i know he should be playing 10 ) and say for bundee part pay gavins wages or bump his contract. Reward and develop and the same time.
@chris mcdonnell: central development contracts?
@chris mcdonnell: I think you are forgetting that the player has a say in all of this too…that’s why they’re called contract negotiations. If you do not pay enough you lose the player to France. Henshaw is still an integral part of the Irish squad and one of the best in the world in his position. This is a great bit of business for the next couple of six nations championships
@anthony davoren: will he even be fit for the next couple of 6 nations championships? he has an awful injury profile. poor value for money if you ask me.
@Niall English: Agree. Way too much loyalty and sentiment involved in theses contract “negotiations”. Lads into their 30s, past their best, poor injury profiles etc etc. We need to learn to become more ruthless otherwise we will be left behind again come the World Cup.
@Niall English: the same could have been said about sexton. Always injured but worth ha omg around for when he is fit. People seem to think that these players will just hang around if you don’t give them a proper contract. The amount of experienced class players we would lose would be detrimental to Irish rugby and the provinces. They have a short career and would have to go where the money is. Essentially by your logic Henshaw, Furlong, Van Der Flier, O’Mahoney, Gibson Park, Aki, Lowe, Bealham, Henderson should all be cut loose. Jesus where would we be then and who would replace them. Experience in rugby is invaluable
@anthony davoren: with Henshaws injury history, he wouldn’t last a month in France. Imagine employing him to play 26+ games a season
@Niall Boyle: True. Rewarding lads for what they have done in the past and because they have experience does not make good business sense. If they are playing well and consistently available for selection, that’s the most important thing, surely. This idea of rewarding “experience” just for the sake of it is nonsense.
@Niall Boyle: carberry is there
@anthony davoren: and has played 7 games out of a possible 14
@Niall Boyle: it’s nice that you’re so concerned about Henshaw’s health and safety. True blue
@anthony davoren: but I would cut all of the players you mentioned as vast majority of them with either be retired or over the hill come next world cup.
@chris mcdonnell: There definitely needs to be a more refined central contracting system. Maybe a step down approach for any players over 30 and it won’t feel like a demotion because it is the policy. All the way back to Jamie Heaslip there have been central contracts that were not held by first choice players. The central contracts are starting to feel like a reward based retirement plan rather than an effective way to keep talent in Ireland.
@Paul Ennis: @chris mcdonnell:
I really like the concept of partially funded IRFU contracts. This would be fairer on the provinces and also give a good indication to lads to more be competitive. Also, declining investment with age seems reasonable.
@Con Cussed: Please The42 an edit button for Christmas?
@Ray Ridge: stop focusing on world cups. That’s one competition every 4 years. Anyway Aiden he is early 30’s not mid, no need for hyperbole.
There must be more Leinster players we can give central contracts to!!!
@James Dowling: I’m a munster fan but I can’t think of another player who is up for contract renewal in the other provinces that deserves this more
Why can’t everyone on leinster get a central contract
@Liam Collins: I don’t get this attitude. It’s not leinsters fault that munster (who I support), ulster and connacht neglected underage coaching and developmental pathways for years so are now slowly digging their way out of a mess of our own making. From a munster perspective, aside from Beirne non of the players deserve a central contract but over the next few years I’m hoping lads like edogbo, ahern, quinn and gleeson develop to the point where they get central contracts.
@scott casey: Based on his form in the Autumn internationals I’d say Craig Casey deserves 1 ahead of an aging Henshaw. Iain Henderson would be another I’d replace with a younger player. He too is often not fit and not a regular starter.
@TL55: irfu announced a few months back that henderson is coming off his central contract so it’s very likely ulster won’t have a single centrally contracted player. Craig casey has made a big jump since summer tour to SA and has definitely jumped ahead of Murray at international level and for the 1st time was putting pressure on JGP. However, aside from first centre, I don’t think any 2nd choice player (which casey is at present but will hopefully change over next 12 to 18 months) has been given a central contract
@TL55: There are lots of scrum-halfs coming through at the moment and I think the IRFU should wait and see how the scrum half’s at Connacht and Munster develop before throwing a central contract to anyone. Here I’m thinking of Matthew Devine, Ben Healey and Paddy Patterson. I’m not sure how Nathan Doak has developed this season.
@Con Cussed: with the new kick laws, kicking scrum halves might become popular again so doak could be given a chance this summer
@Liam Collins: Munster fan here, he deserves it lad, leave the bias out of it. World class player at centre.