
Aoife Wafer ruled out of Ireland's trip to Scotland
Aoife Wafer has been ruled out of Ireland's final Guinness Six Nations game against Scotland on Saturday with a knee injury.
Scott Bemand's side, third in the table, are already without back row Erin King, who has been ruled out for a number of months with a serious knee injury.
Bemand has included two uncapped players, UL Bohemians and Munster players Aoife Carey and Jane Clohessy, in his squad but the headline news is that influential number 8 Wafer, who scored two tries in the 40-14 win over Wales last Sunday, is out.
"Aoife Wafer was ruled out of selection this week due to a knee injury picked up during last weekend's win at Rodney Parade," said the IRFU.
Corey is named to start at full-back having been called into the squad on the back of impressive performances for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge, while second row Clohessy – the daughter of former Ireland international Peter – also earns her opportunity in green as she's named among the replacements.
It is an unchanged midfield pairing as Enya Breen and Aoife Dalton continue at inside and outside centre, respectively, while Dannah O'Brien and Molly Scuffil-McCabe are retained in the half-backs.
In the pack, Niamh O'Dowd returns to fitness to start in the front row alongside Neve Jones and Linda Djougang, while Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite are in the engine room, allowing Dorothy Wall to shift to blindside flanker in a back row alongside captain McMahon and number 8 Brittany Hogan.
On the bench, Clíodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, the uncapped Clohessy and Claire Boles provide the forward reinforcements, with backs Emily Lane, Eve Higgins and Stacey Flood completing Ireland's 23.
Ireland have lost to France and England, and beaten Italy and Wales, while Scotland beat Wales on the opening day but lost their three games since.
Ireland: Aoife Corey; Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O'Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Niamh O'Dowd, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Fiona Tuite; Dorothy Wall, Edel McMahon (capt), Brittany Hogan.
Watch a URC double-header, Scarlets v Leinster and Ulster v Sharks, on Saturday from 4.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Irish Times
9 hours ago
- Irish Times
Rónan Kelleher parks all thoughts of Lions to focus on winning URC arm-wrestle against Scarlets
Fans can't stand the tedium of multiple collapsed scrums. The grumbling displeasure is audible on the first reset. Those who operate at the coalface of the scrum get fed up too. However, while they may find themselves tut-tutting, they will soon be trying to bend laws and bodies simultaneously. Leinster's Rónan Kelleher not only champions a fair contest but explains the pitfalls in layman's terms. 'To be honest, it's a part of my game I do love, but we need to get to the point where we're able to have that contest. That's the big thing. People are trying to de-power teams by loading up and trying to pre-engage. That's when it becomes messy. 'That is when teams are standing up, that's when you don't have a gap. You need that gap to be able to hit into. To allow both teams to get into a pushing position. Then it just becomes about technique and strength. READ MORE 'Ask any front-rower and they enjoy that. They want to get into a pushing contest and actually compete. They don't want to be making it messy.' The conversation turns to the beleaguered supporters who fidget in frustration. Kelleher said: 'We don't like it either. It's also part of our game that we like, in terms of playing off a stable base, a scrum going forward. If we get a penalty advantage, it allows the backs to throw that extra pass. It's something that we want to do.' On Saturday, the Scarlets will pose a fresh examination for Leinster at the Aviva Stadium on foot of a recent victory in west Wales. A place in the semi-final of the United Rugby Championship is at stake. One of the questions set is whether Leinster have figured out how to ensure a full-on contest at scrum time. Rónan Kelleher scores Leinster's first try in their URC victory against Zebre on May 10th. Photograph: Billy Stickland/Inpho Kelleher explained: 'They're quite good, tricky to manage, to be fair. Someone like Ryan Elias is experienced, he's quite good. Henry Thomas is obviously a very experienced scrummager as well. Alec Hepburn has been around the block. I think the word I'd use is 'tricky', to be honest. 'There has been a bit in the past about how some teams like to load up a lot of weight and you get that load on the neck in the scrum. I think they're a team that probably favours that a bit. It's just about how you manage that with the referee and how you get through that game. 'How you communicate that as well, because it's important that we get clean scrums,' he said in the hope of avoiding a catalogue of collapsed set pieces or frontrows standing up because of the instability. Kelleher has been selected to tour Australia with the Lions . Four years ago, in South Africa, he was called up late but didn't feature. This time he's in from the get-go, an 'original' in Andy Farrell's squad. He had company at the big reveal. 'I finished up training [at Leinster], grabbed the gear bag, ran home,' he said. 'I live with Hugo Keenan, so it was the two of us just watching it together. It was tense. When I left [Leinster training] I was like 'jeez, it's happening in the next half an hour'. But obviously it dragged on a bit. It was pretty nervy, the two of us just on the couch watching it. Rónan Kelleher (right) with Lions teammates James Lowe (left) and Maro Itoje. Photograph: Ben Brady/Inpho 'I was absolutely delighted once my name was called – thrilled. We had to wait another couple of minutes until Hugo's name was called, so we could both celebrate together.' The squad was called out in order of forwards first, then backs, rather than in alphabetical order. [ Why James Lowe is determined for Cian Healy and Ross Byrne to leave Leinster with a medal this season Opens in new window ] [ Munster's Calvin Nash looking to give standout performance in the Shark Tank Opens in new window ] He continued: 'As soon as my name was announced, my phone started buzzing. I had to throw it away until Hugo's thing. It was pretty surreal to be honest, but it was unbelievable.' For now, it's all about Saturday's game. The elation and excitement associated with all matters Lions has been put to the back of Kelleher's mind. He said: 'It's very much focused on the here and now. We (Leinster) were disappointed with the finish in Europe and now all our eyes are on this competition and trying to win this one (URC).' The next step to beat the Scarlets.


Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
David Moyes says solidarity across the city makes Liverpool a ‘special' place
Everton manager David Moyes believes solidarity across the city is what makes Liverpool a 'special' place. The Toffees boss, who famously coined the phrase The People's Club when he took over in his first spell at Goodison Park in 2002, has praised the way the community supported each other in the wake of the horrific events of Liverpool's victory parade on Monday. A 53-year-old white, British man from West Derby has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit through drugs after dozens of people were injured by a car on Water Street in the city centre, close to the end of the route. 'One of the things that makes this city special is the solidarity between the people, who always come together in times of hardship,' said Moyes in a statement posted on the club's social media. The 62-year-old Scot, who passed on the best wishes of him and his staff to those affected and praised the emergency services, added: 'We always stand together in the most difficult times.' Both clubs' supporters have a shared history of supporting each other, most notably surrounding the 1989 Hillsborough disaster which killed 97 Liverpool fans. Moyes' Liverpool counterpart Arne Slot had offered a similar sentiment in his acceptance of the League Managers Association's manager of the year award. The Dutchman did not attend the event in London 'out of solidarity with all affected' and wrote a letter explaining his thinking. Liverpool head coach Arne Slot chose not to accept his manager of the year award in person out of 'solidarity' with the people affected by events following their victory parade (Nick Potts/PA) 'I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wider football community, including the LMA itself, the Premier League and many clubs who will be represented, for the support we have received over the last 24 hours,' he said. 'Football is and always should be a game built on rivalry, but it is also a great source of comradeship, especially at times like this.' Former Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy, a self-confessed Reds fan, said he was still trying to come to terms with what had happened. 'I watched it on my phone and it was one of those you wished you didn't watch,' the Wales manager told a press conference. 'It's heartbreaking. To go to what should be an incredible moment – the most successful club in England, equalling 20 titles which was so important – and to see that happen it was incredible. Wales manager and former Liverpool forward Craig Bellamy admits he is still coming to terms with Monday's events (Jacob King/PA) 'Like everyone else I'm trying to absorb it now. Maybe I will do in the next few weeks but at this present moment it is still quite raw for me and still quite sad. 'I'm still trying to come to terms with it myself.' Water Street was reopened on Wednesday morning, with all remnants of Monday's incident cleared away with only a few cards and flowers left by the side of the road by well-wishers.


Extra.ie
3 days ago
- Extra.ie
Louise Quinn: 'You never want to stop playing for Ireland but it must happen some time'
Louise Quinn says that she was 'sobbing at the airport' on Sunday afternoon, as she left to join up with the Ireland squad in Istanbul. Quinn and her partner Eilish welcomed Darragh into the world back in March, and this stretch, ahead of Friday's Nations League encounter against Turkey, will be the longest she has ever been away from their young son. Darragh's arrival was a major factor in the veteran defender announcing her retirement a few weeks ago. The Blessington native turns 35 next month and has struggled with a hip issue for much of this season. However, she made herself available for Ireland boss Carla Ward for this crucial Nations League double-header, against Turkey, before they face Slovenia in Pairc Uí Chaoimh, where Quinn last featured for Ireland in the 3-1 win over France last July. Carla Ward. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile She may also find herself in the squad that travels to the US at the end of next month. 'I wanted to do my best to make myself available to end this campaign,' Quinn explained from the team hotel in Istanbul yesterday. 'With the timing of when the Championship finishes, Birmingham wanted to put something together. Was lovely they wanted to give me a send-off, but in my head, I was thinking of getting myself back fit and do everything to make myself available, and then it was up to Carla if she wanted to bring me in. Louise Quinn. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'Thankfully, that's how it went and I'm back.' Having lost experienced players such as Niamh Fahey, Diane Caldwell and Julie-Ann Russell, Ward might have been tempted to try and change Quinn's mind on retirement, given that her leadership skills are needed more than ever. 'No, not really, because I am a grown woman and I have to make those decisions,' says the 121-times capped defender. 'But I would have spoken to her when she came into the job, and just in general, and she was hoping and wondering when I would be coming back from injury. Republic of Ireland's Anna Patten, Lily Agg and Louise Quinn. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'For me, it has always been positive that she wanted me around if I have been fit and able. 'Listen, if I could keep the Irish team as my club team forever, that would be me now, I would be set. This is the team I could play with forever, and leaving this team is the most difficult thing about retirement. 'It has been my whole life. That was the hardest thing, you want to stop and take that time but you don't want to stop that feeling of how magic it is, coming into camp and playing for your country. But it has to stop at some stage.' Louise Quinn. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile Quinn's hip problem meant she missed the heartbreaking Euro 2025 play-off defeat to Wales, and she feels that some of the difficulties in this campaign have been a hangover from that disappointing result in the Aviva. 'For me, you could maybe see a little bit of a hangover from those games. There has to be. We have really strong characters, we have leaders, we have personalities. It's now just trying to gradually step in for them to ease into some of these leadership roles that have been missing. Louise Quinn. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile 'We absolutely have some of the girls that it's natural to them, and they probably do it at club level, and now again, you're asking, okay, how about another step up, another level? 'Can you do it at an international level? And it's not going to happen like clicking your fingers. 'But we have some really strong people, strong personalities and so for me I can see that the team has grown through this campaign. And I think that's what is most important, and now we've really got to get the results and back it up.' Denise O'Sullivan and Louise Quinn. Pic: ©INPHO/James Crombie Quinn believes that the loss to Wales and missing out on the tournament this summer will act as a springboard to further success for this team in the same way that the defeat in Ukraine that cost them a Euro 2021 playoff place drove the side on to qualify for its first World Cup. However, if the team does end up qualifying for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil, they will do so with Quinn cheering on from the side. As much as she is going to miss the camaraderie of the dressing room and representing her country on the international stage, the arrival of Darragh has changed priorities for Quinn. Louise Quinn. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie 'Obviously, my son is coming along; he's been a big part of the decision. You want to have that time that I've never had. I've constantly missed out on events with friends and family, just seeing them for little more than 24, 48 hours, actually being able to go home and enjoy Christmas. 'I've missed so much with my own family and friends, now that I have my own little family, I want to be able to be there and (be) a bit more present, and potentially (have) a schedule that's more flexible. You miss one training session and it could be you start or don't start. 'I did go to my cousin's wedding in the summer. I flew in for less than 24 hours, went to the wedding, drove back home later that night and got a flight first thing at o'clock in the morning. 'This isn't how I wanted to celebrate my family all the time. 'Darragh probably doesn't have a clue really, but I just think it's important that I'm also around and flexible and there for Eilish. It's always an important time, but this is so new that you want to have all hands on deck and look after him.' Quinn insists that Ward has offered her no guarantees of starting either of these games, but it feels like this double bill is the perfect way for supporters to bid farewell to one of Irish football's great servants.