The Ireland Under-20 training squad (sponsored by PwC) has been named for the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series, which will debut this July, in Parma, Italy.
Head Coach Niamh Briggs has named a 36-player Training Squad in preparation for the Six Nations Women’s Summer Series.
Maebh Clenaghan, Sophie Barrett, Abby Moyles and Tara O'Neill make up the four Ulster players within the training squad.
The players have been selected for training camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre, before the final squad for Italy is named.
Starting on July 4, the format of the Women’s Summer Series will see three match days, on July 4, 9, and 14, with teams made up of predominately U-20 players, but with each Union able to select up to three U-23 players per matchday squad.
Hannah Wilson, Ivanna Kiripati, Ruth Campbell, Jane Neill, Karly Tierney, Kate Flannery, Clara Barret, Cara Martin and Abby Moyles all featured in last year’s Ireland U20 squad, who played Italy and Scotland, in July 2023.
Six players named in the training squad, featured in this year’s Energia AIL Final at Aviva Stadium including Player of the Match Chisom Ugwuere as well as Beth Buttimer, Brianna Heylmann, Faith Oviawe, Kate Flannery, and Éabha Nic Dhonnacha.
22 players named in the training squad played in the U18 WXV tournament in Wales in April and May this year. Along with 13 players featuring in last season’s Vodafone Women's Interprovincial series for their provinces.
15 of the 36 players also featured in this year’s Celtic Challenge for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Ruth Campbell, Kiripati and Flannery were named in the Ireland training panel for the Guinness Six Nations.
Commenting on the training squad announcement, IRFU Women’s National Talent Squad and Talent Identification Manager, Katie Fitzhenry, said: “We’re delighted to name the training squad ahead of the summer series in Italy next month
“We’ve observed 50 players through screening camps this year, and the coaching team of Niamh Briggs, JP Walsh and Murray Houston have selected an exciting mix of talented players from across the country, all of whom have impressed for their club, province, or at underage international level in a green jersey.
“It is a very exciting time for everyone involved and this is another important step for our Women’s Pathway, providing a platform for the further development of our best young players and exposing them to international rugby.”
### Ireland U20 Women's Training Squad
Forwards:
Sophie Barrett - Enniskillen RFC/Ulster<br>
Grainne Burke - Ennis RFC/Munster<br>
Kelly Burke - Mullingar RFC/Leinster<br>
Beth Buttimer - UL Bohemian RFC/Munster<br>
Ruth Campbell - Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster<br>
Maebh Clenaghan - Queens University RFC/Ulster<br>
Olivia Constable - Gloucester Hartpury /IQ Rugby<br>
Saoirse Crowe - Shannon RFC/IQ Rugby<br>
Poppy Garvey - Sligo RFC/Connacht<br>
Aoibheann Hahessy - Ennis RFC/Munster<br>
Brianna Heylmann - UL Bohemian RFC/Munster<br>
Ivana Kiripati - American International College/Connacht<br>
Roisin Maher - Galwegians RFC/Connacht<br>
Amanda McQuade - Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby<br>
Lily Morris – Kilarney RFC/Munster<br>
Eadoin Murtagh - Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster<br>
Jane Neill - Galwegians RFC/Leinster<br>
Cliodhna Ni Chonchobhair - Blackrock College RFC/Leinster<br>
Faith Oviawe - Railway Union RFC/Connacht<br>
Karly Tierney - UL Bohemian RFC and Tuam-Oughterard RFC/Connacht<br>
Hannah Wilson - Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster
Backs:
Clara Barrett - UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht<br>
Ellen Boylan - Carrick on Suir RFC/Munster<br>
Hannah Clarke - Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht<br>
Kate Flannery - UL Bohemian RFC/Munster<br>
Jade Gaffney - Navan RFC/Leinster<br>
Niamh Gallagher – Saracens / IQ Rugby<br>
May Goulding - Hartpury College / IQ Rugby<br>
Lucia Linn – Loughborough University/ IQ Rugby<br>
Cara Martin - Blackrock College RFC/Leinster<br>
Abby Moyles - Blackrock College RFC/Ulster<br>
Eabha Nic Dhonnacha - UL Bohemian and Tuam-Oughterard RFC/Connacht<br>
Robyn O'Connor - Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster<br>
Tara O'Neill - Cooke RFC/Ulster<br>
Ellie O'Sullian/Sexton – Mullingar RFC/Leinster<br>
Chisom Ugwueru - UL Bohemian RFC/Munster
### Ireland U20 Women's Six Nations Summer Series Fixtures
- England v Ireland, Thursday, July 4, kick off 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time
- Ireland v Italy, Tuesday, July 9, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time
- Ireland v Scotland, Sunday, July 14, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time