IRELAND WOMEN’S HEAD coach Scott Bemand has called five of the Olympic Sevens team into his squad for next month’s XVs internationals.
Paris stars Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe have all been recalled to the XVs set-up for the Ravenhill Test against Australia and the WXV1 tournament.
And the returning quartet are joined by their fellow Olympian Erin King, who is in line to make her senior international debut in XVs.
King is one of 10 uncapped players included in the panel of 35 alongside forwards Sophie Barrett, Ruth Campbell, Siobhán McCarthy and Andrea Stock, while there are call-ups in the backs for the uncapped Robyn O’Connor, Chisom Ugwueru, Katie Heffernan, Katie Whelan and Alana McInerney.
A further six players will also link up with the panel as part of a wider training group: Claire Boles, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Hannah Clarke, Faith Oviawe, Jane Clohessy and Caitríona Finn.
Bemand is without some familiar faces as Sam Monaghan, Béibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly and Natasja Behan are all ruled out through injury, while Katie Corrigan and Sadhbh McGrath are also working their way back to full fitness.
Ireland host Australia at Ravenhill on Saturday 14 September before flying out to Vancouver for their debut campaign at WXV1 level.
Ireland Women XVs Squad
Forwards:
- Sophie Barrett (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)*
- Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
- Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(3)
- Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(37)
- Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(18)
- Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(23)
- Shannon Ikahihifo (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)(3)
- Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury)(26)
- Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)*
- Siobhán McCarthy (Worcester Warriors/Munster)*
- Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(28)
- Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(34)
- Grace Moore (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)(15)
- Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster)(9)
- Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(7)
- Andrea Stock (Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby)*
- Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(6)
- Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(7)
- Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)(28)
Backs:
- Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(21)
- Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(14)
- Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(13)
- Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(10)
- Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(12)
- Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)*
- Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(17)
- Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)(6)
- Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(6)
- Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
- Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(9)
- Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(15)
- Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster)*
- Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster)(16)
- Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
- Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)*
Training Panellists:
- Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)(3)
- Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht)*
- Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
- Caitríona Finn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)*
- Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)*
- Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)*
* denotes uncapped player
