Ireland name 37-player preparation squad for World Cup
IRELAND HAVE NAMED 37 players for their preparation squad ahead of the World Cup in England later this summer.
A group of 21 forwards and 16 backs includes the uncapped duo Alma Atagamen and Ivana Kiripati.
Meanwhile, Jane Clohessy and Aoife Corey have retained their places after impressing on their debuts in the Six Nations.
Sarah Delaney, Shannon Ikahihifo, Sam Monaghan, Eimear Corri, and Beibhinn Parsons return after missing the WXV1 and Six Nations campaigns through injury.
The backroom team has also been confirmed. Joining head coach Scott Bemand are Denis Fogarty (Scrum Coach), Alex Codling (Forwards Coach), Gareth Steenson (Kicking Coach) and James Scaysbrook, who comes onboard as Defence Coach.
Ex-Bath and Exeter Chiefs flanker Scaysbrook previously had stints with England U20s and Coventry RFC, in addition to spending time coaching in Hong Kong and Japan.
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The squad will assemble on 2 June at the IRFU High Performance Centre ahead of warm-up matches against Scotland and Canada in early August.
The 16-team World Cup takes place between 22 August and 27 September.
Ireland have been paired in Pool C, along with Japan (24 August), Spain (31 August) and New Zealand (7 September).
More information on tickets for the Summer Series can be found here.
Ireland squad – Club/Province/Caps:
Forwards:
Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC)*
Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(15)
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(32)
Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(24)
Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs)(43)
Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster)(11)
Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)(34)
Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(4)
Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(15)
Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(20)
Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC/Connacht)*
Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(1)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(46)
Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury)(35)
Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(15)
Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(7)
Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(14)
Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby)(21)
Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)(3)
Shannon Ikahihifo (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(3)
Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(8)
Backs:
Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster)(18)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)(10)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(15)
Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(1)
Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(23)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(26)
Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(24)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(15)
Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(29)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)(26)
Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(5)
Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū RFC/Leinster)(21)
Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)(15)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)(19)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)(4)
Training Panellist:
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(13).
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Extra.ie
24 minutes ago
- Extra.ie
Jordie Barrett will be key to Leinster's quest to land a first trophy in four seasons
Leinster find themselves in a bit of a no-win situation at the moment. If Leo Cullen's side go on to claim the URC title, there won't be much praise or recognition outside of the operation. Their latest Champions Cup failure will continue to dominate the narrative long into the summer and most of next season, too. Should the province fail, however, then the backlash will be furious. The entire setup will be castigated for being unable to land a title – in any form – for four straight seasons. You can already hear the knives being sharpened. Jordie Barrett in action during Leinster training. Pic: INPHO/James Crombie No, the URC wasn't the trophy this squad craved but failure is simply not an option in the weeks ahead, beginning with today's URC quarter-final meeting with Scarlets in Dublin. This competition has regularly been put on the back burner so Leinster could focus on European matters. But they don't have that excuse now. This team, with its depth and resources, should have a far better record in this league. They haven't won this tournament since it was rebranded following the arrival of the South African heavyweights in 2021. It's a grim stat. For a Leinster team which has found itself in something of an existential crisis since the Northampton defeat, winning the URC is paramount. Firstly, it will alleviate some of the pressure. Getting on a winners' podium would do wonders for morale before the end of the season. A record contingent are set to board a flight to Sydney next month ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile The likelihood of a host of Leinster players reporting for pre-season duty off the back of a victorious series against the Wallabies would bring plenty of good vibes, too. The slate would be wiped clean and the entire playing group – mentally and physically refreshed – could attack a new Champions Cup campaign with renewed hunger and vigour. Having Rieko Ioane on board will also help with the latest rebuild. So, the URC feels like a big deal now. Leinster are down some key figures at the moment. Caelan Doris was a big injury casualty. Robbie Henshaw's season is over as well. Tadhg Furlong, Garry Ringrose and Tommy O'Brien have also been ruled out of today's clash at Aviva Stadium. All of a sudden, a Leinster squad which looked bullet-proof for most of this season now seems vulnerable, both psychologically and in terms of personnel. The visitors will fancy it. Last month, they beat the same opposition – albeit a heavily rotated side – 35-22 at Parc Y Scarlets. As it transpires, Northampton used that game – where the Scarlets crossed for five tries – as a template to go after Leinster the following weekend. The Scarlets have a blueprint to beat the Leinster blitz. The Welsh side, who are mired in financial and governance issues at the moment, know they have the attacking game and the players to cause an out-of-sorts Leinster all sorts of problems. Powerful No8 Taine Plumtree had a huge game last time out while the all-international back three of Blair Murray, Tom Rogers and Ellis Mee is top class. Those three customers caused Ireland plenty of problems during the Six Nations as well. This could be an awkward afternoon for Leinster. They will need some leaders to step up. Jordie Barrett was lured up from New Zealand on a sabbatical as a gun for hire. A marquee signing to finally land that elusive fifth star. Cullen is probably still kicking himself for leaving the esteemed All Black on the bench ahead of that ill-fated Champions Cup semi-final. But Barrett still has the capacity to lead Leinster to silverware. He is set to play a central role for the rest of this campaign. The New Zealander is the kind of player that makes things happen. Barrett can influence games and bend them to his will. After all, It was a late intervention from the Kiwi centre which denied Ireland a first-ever World Cup semi-final not so long ago. The hosts will be grateful for his presence today. Barrett will be the perfect foil for Sam Prendergast and Jamie Osborne. He will be the perfect sounding board for stand-in skipper Jack Conan and he will give Leinster some purpose and direction in attack. Leinster should win fairly comfortably against a plucky Scarlets side, but the Champions Cup hangover has muddied the waters. They will look to Barrett to guide them through today.
The 42
36 minutes ago
- The 42
'I didn't sit in the dressing room thinking I was the reason Dublin didn't beat Armagh'
IT'S THE DAY after the 2002 All-Ireland semi-final between Dublin and Armagh, and the RTÉ Six O'Clock news has just come on the TV in a pub. Sitting at the bar are some of the Dublin players who are processing the effects of a one-point defeat in Croke Park. It's been seven years since their county last tasted All-Ireland success, but this group will not be the ones to end the wait. A first Leinster title since 1995 will have to do instead. John McNally is among the crew, along with Dublin full-forward Ray Cosgrove who has been the star of the summer. He's clocking out of the championship with a scintillating 6-23. He'll be collecting an All-Star award for that as well as joint top-scorer gong along with Armagh's Oisín McConville. But today is a day for escaping. They want to avoid the city centre and so they've found a spot in Ballymore Eustace to drink their pints in quiet anonymity. Just when they think they're in the clear, the final moments of their loss to Armagh appear on the TV screen. A last-minute free from Cosgrove that came back off the post. 'Jaysus,' quips the barmen serving the wounded Dublin lot. 'I wouldn't fancy being that poor fella today.' **** It always comes up on weeks like this. THAT free. THAT miss. Dublin v Armagh in Croke Park? Of course Ray Cosgrove's phone is going to ping with the usual deluge of messages. He's in a WhatsApp group with Oisín McConville, and the back and forth is always good natured. McConville technically finished the 2002 championship with two more points than Cosgrove but they both won the top-scorer award as McConville played one more match. Cosgrove never lets him forget that. Ray Cosgrove wheels away in celebration after a goal in the 2002 Leinster final. INPHO INPHO For those who can recall, 2002 was the summer of Saipan. It was the summer when Roy Keane either left or was sent home from the Republic of Ireland's World Cup squad, depending on where your allegiances lie. That controversy held the country in a headlock. But Cosgrove's quality soared above it. In the space of a few months, he was no longer Ray Cosgrove. He was Cossie – the darling of Hill 16. 'The season just took off and I didn't realise the amount of hype that had been created,' he says, looking back. 'Things are just happening. I wasn't quite aware of the magnitude of what was going on, to be perfectly honest.' By 2002, Cosgrove was heading into his sixth year on the Dublin circuit. He was first introduced to the senior squad by Mickey Whelan in 1996 and he felt a breakthrough to the team was close. He was playing for the A team in their training games coming into the Leinster final against Meath. But when the selections were announced, he didn't get the nod. He didn't even make the matchday panel. 'I was going well,' Cosgrove continues. 'I was only 19 years old so maybe a little bit light and inexperienced. This was a Dublin team that had just won the All-Ireland. I left that Saturday before the final thinking I could be getting a shout. 'For whatever reason, Mickey obviously made the decision with the management team. Maybe they felt that's a big, strong, Meath team and this fella's not cut out for it at the moment. He just didn't back me, I suppose.' Advertisement By 1999, the door into the Dublin team was still locked for Cosgrove. Again, they reached the Leinster final, and again, Meath were their opponents. The Dublin-Meath rivalry was in full roar in those years. Not too unlike the Celtic Tiger that defined Irish consumerism at the time. Cosgrove did make an appearance on that occasion off the bench, but he was taken off again later in the game as Dublin lost by five points. Tommy Carr was in charge at that point, and after that game, they had a conversation about Cosgrove's future. They agreed that he should concentrate on playing club football. 'I suppose I had a bit of prove,' Cosgrove adds. 'I was still playing good football with the club in 2001.' Former Dublin manager Tommy Lyons. INPHO INPHO 2002 ushered in a new chapter for Dublin and for Cosgrove. The difference? Cosgrove's Kilmacud clubmate Tommy Lyons became the new Dublin boss. He decided that Cosgrove was his man, and offered assurances that he would stick with his man come hell or high water. It's hard to imagine a concept where a manager — who has a large panel at their disposal — could make such a promise. But Cosgrove's form made it easy to stick with him. 'He took a chance on me. He showed faith in me. And from day one, he said, 'Cossie, regardless of how you're going, I am going to play you. I'm going to persist with you.' He showed complete faith in me. That was the faith I needed. 'Tommy would have called me Monday morning after games day saying, 'You've done this, you've done that…' He was giving me feedback and he was honest.' **** Before we go forward, let's go back. Gaelic football wasn't Cosgrove's first sport. He had links through his Mayo-born parents and his Galway cousin, Gay McManus, who played against Cosgrove's native Dublin in the 1983 All-Ireland final. But the first ball Cosgrove kicked was for Leicester Celtic in Rathfarnham. He was a nifty centre midfielder too. He was on a DDSL team that won a Kennedy Cup, which is prestigious competition at U14 level. He also enjoyed some success with Cherry Orchard. There was talk of trials too but the intrusion of injury stopped him from pursuing any opportunities in England. 'I missed a couple of trials. I got injured at U15 when I was out with the the Irish team. I was on trials at the AUL. I tore a calf most of the trials there. And that set me back a good few months. I was due to go on trial with Derby. And I missed the boat to go across.' His first foray into Gaelic football was somewhat accidental. While attending St Benildus College, he offered to tog out for a team struggling with numbers. A teacher at the school was involved with Kilmacud Crokes and Cosgrove could feel himself inclining more towards the O'Neill's ball. Cosgrove celebrating after winning the 2009 All-Ireland final with Kilmacud Crokes. Donall Farmer / INPHO Donall Farmer / INPHO / INPHO 'We ended up winning the Dublin U14 A title,' he says. 'I joined Kilmacud and we ended up winning the U15 championship. That year we beat a Ballyboden team in the semi-final. I think they'd been unbeaten all the way up through when they were under-aged. And we were the first team to beat that Ballyboden team. Jim Stynes' younger brother David would have been on that team. 'I remember I was double-jobbing with the soccer. I had my foot in both camps. It just festered from there.' By the time he was at the U18 grade, Cosgrove dropped the dual-player tag and decided to specialise in Gaelic football. **** When he thinks back to 2002, Cosgrove points to a draw against Galway in the National League as the 'catalyst.' It was their last game of the Division 1 campaign. Cosgrove scored 1-4 and could sense a fruitful summer was looming. Dublin started their Leinster championship with a two-point win over Wexford and a 2-11 to 0-10 semi-final victory over the Royals illustrated their intent. It was a first championship win over Meath in seven years, and Cosgrove scored 2-3 to help make it happen. 'That was the first sign of, I'd arrived on the scene. Darren-Faye was one of the best full-backs that the game had ever seen. When you walk off the pitch and say, 'Jaysus, 2-3 off Darren-Faye', that isn't so bad.' Related Reads Rochford climbs on top of the Mayo volcano as they face yet another last stand Mayo GAA address financial situation at special delegates meeting 'We didn't play for whatever reason' - Jim McGuinness on first Ballybofey defeat Dublin went on to become Leinster champions for the first time since 1995 and eventually dispatched Donegal in the All-Ireland quarter-final after a replay. Cosgrove's legend continued to grow and a belief that Dublin could push on for the next prize was visible in the city. 'There was a big 40-foot poster on Connolly Street against the Bank of Ireland.' he says. 'The flags, the bunting around the place.' And then came Armagh in the semi-final. A tough outfit packed with Crossmaglen All-Ireland winners and Ulster champions. Kieran McGeeney was their captain at centre-back, and Cosgrove was familiar with him from the Dublin club scene. 'Geezer was playing with Na Fianna so I would have obviously locked horns with Geezer. We would have known a good bit about the Armagh boys from the few that were playing in Dublin. 'They were battle-hardened. They were more experienced. But certainly, it was a game that we went into thinking that, yeah, we could get something out of it. There was no fear on our behalf.' **** Cosgrove reflects on it as his best game for Dublin. You might only remember the free but he remembers the six points he scored. It was as close to perfect as he could get. He was the one that actually won the free too, drawing a trip from Enda McNulty. Cosgrove felt it was 'soft enough' though. He just kicked it with too much caution. If he had his time back, he'd put his boot through it. Instead of trying to curl it over from the instep, he'd hit the strike with more conviction. Actually, he would have taken the free off the ground. That was his preferred style of free-taking. But a knee injury forced him to start taking them from his hands. 'I knew I'd done as much as I could. It was probably the best game I ever played in a blue jersey. I didn't blame myself for missing the free. We would have only drawn the game. It's not like as if we would have won the game if I scored. 'I didn't take the burden of blame on my shoulders. It wasn't just that kick that led to us being beaten. There were lots of other missed opportunities. I didn't sit in the dressing room thinking I was the reason Dublin didn't beat Armagh.' The Dublin and Armagh teams before the 2002 All-Ireland semi-final. INPHO INPHO Cosgrove does have games that haunt him. The 1998 Leinster final against Éire Óg of Carlow needed three games to determine a winner. In the second game, Cosgrove kicked a free which was dispossessed and led to a late equaliser. Dublin's 2006 All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo hangs over him too. More so than the 2002 heartache. He knows that others feel differently, and he had some slagging to deal with. 'That was part and parcel of it. You do get reminded of it quite regularly. It would get annoying but I had a very quick response. I finished top-scorer in the championship and I'd say, 'Here listen, when you finish top-scorer in the championship, get back to me and I'll talk to ya.' That usually quietened a few of them.' Cosgrove continued serving Dublin until 2008, deciding that he was 'only making up the numbers' at that stage and left after the National League. This was just three years before Dublin's All-Ireland breakthrough and he can feel satisfied that he helped lay the brickwork for future players to thrive in a Blue jersey. He did reach the summit with Kilmacud Crokes in 2009 as they conquered the club kingpins Crossmaglen to become All-Ireland champions. Something of a full circle moment for Cosgrove. He's always felt gratitude towards Tommy Lyons for taking that chance and giving him that summer to remember. You can say what you want about the free in 2002. But if you want to come at him, you best have scored 6-23. He's ready for you if not. And as Dublin and Armagh prepare to meet once again tomorrow afternoon in Croke Park, he might have to hear about it once or twice more before then. As for the bar man who spoke after his free appeared on the television, Cosgrove had something for him too. 'Well, here I am!'
The 42
3 hours ago
- The 42
Players must make most of minutes in the Leinster machine
OPPORTUNITIES CAN BE limited in a squad as deep and competitive as Leinster's. This is something assistant coach Robin McBryde warned about earlier in the season, admitting the Leinster coaches had discussed the issue of getting enough minutes into their promising young players. 'It is tough,' McBryde said. 'I feel for them sometimes because it does stunt their development. I don't know what the answer is there.' Leinster try to rotate their squad and use that depth to their advantage, but, particularly as the season rolls into the business end, selection tends to fall into a more settled pattern. It presents a challenging scenario for players trying to nail down a spot in the squad, most notably those who are also starting to push through at Test level. Generally speaking, if a player is good enough to get capped in a November window or Six Nations, they tend to be highly important players at their clubs. For example, it's hard to imagine Cormac Izuchukwu going back to Ulster after winning his first Ireland cap last November and struggling to get into the Ulster 23. Likewise Cian Prendergast at Connacht or players like Munster pair Calvin Nash and Jack Crowley when they were first called in with Ireland. Further afield, Lions-bound Henry Pollock won his first England cap in the Six Nations and has built on that momentum by getting more experience in big club games – starting seven times for Northampton since returning from England camp. However there's a group of Leinster players who have worn the Ireland jersey this year, yet still been left disappointed on the big days with Leinster. Take Jack Boyle, who earlier this week was the only Irish player on the 16-strong URC Next-Gen Player of the Season shortlist. The 23-year-old prop is highly rated and came off the bench twice for Ireland in the Six Nations. That would usually be a springboard for greater exposure at club level but he's been stuck in a tough battle for minutes. Since the Six Nations finished, Boyle has started three games for Leinster. He's on the bench again today for the URC quarter-final meeting with Scarlets [KO 3pm, TG4/Premier Sports], with Andrew Porter firmly established as the first-choice loosehead and the soon-to-be-retired Cian Healy also clocking up four starts since the Six Nations. Advertisement Gus McCarthy falls into a similar bracket. The 21-year-old hooker faces some of the stiffest competition imaginable, with Dan Sheehan and Rónan Kelleher, both set to tour with the Lions this summer, ahead of him in the queue. Gus McCarthy won't be involved against the Scarlets today. Tom Maher / INPHO Tom Maher / INPHO / INPHO It's been a breakthrough season for McCarthy, who has played four times for Ireland – twice in November and twice in the Six Nations. Yet when Sheehan and Kelleher are both fit, McCarthy feels the squeeze at Leinster. Since the Six Nations he's played three games, with the URC round 15 win against Ulster his only start during that period. Earlier this month he lined out for Leinster A against Ulster A. McCarthy misses out again today, with Kelleher starting and Sheehan providing cover off the bench. A player like Jamie Osborne is in a slightly different situation, but can also fall on the wrong side of those selection calls. Osborne's versatility is one of his great strengths, and this season he's had starts at inside centre, outside centre, left wing and right wing. The 23-year-old is further along the line that many of Leinster teammates when it comes to international rugby. He memorably started both Tests against South Africa last summer and has added five caps across the November and Six Nations windows. In the Six Nations he earned two starts, at fullback v Wales and on the wing against France, and had been spoken about as an outside bet for the Lions. He's built on that with more time on the pitch at Leinster, starting five games since returning from the Six Nations, but notably he was left out of the Leinster 23 for their biggest game during that run – the Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton. Today he's back in the starting team, perhaps benefitting from the short-term injuries to Garry Ringrose (calf) and Tommy O'Brien (foot), who both miss out. It's a challenge not just confined to the province's younger squad players. Jimmy O'Brien, 28, is another Ireland international who watched the Northampton game from the stands, despite enjoying a good run in the team in the URC. At 27, Ciarán Frawley has been on the scene for some time now and looked to be hitting a new level last season. He was an important part of Leinster's run to the Champions Cup final defeat to Toulouse and played a starring role off the bench on Ireland's tour to South Africa. His form dipped earlier in this season and it's been a mixed bag since. Frawley was in the Six Nations squad but only got to pull on the Ireland jersey in an 'A' game against England. Lose ground, and it can be tough to claw your way back in. The Skerries man has had starts at 10 and 15 for Leinster over the last two months but has started the last three games – including today's quarter-final – on the bench. Frawley looked set for a big season coming out of that South Africa tour but as it stands at Leinster, Hugo Keenan is the locked-in first choice fullback, with Sam Prendergast the same at out-half. That fierce competition is part of the package when it comes to being a Leinster player, but it means that on days like today, they have to step up and make the most of their gametime. Leinster are expected to get the job done at Aviva Stadium and secure a home semi-final next week. Leo Cullen's side have three games to hurdle if they are to end their trophy drought. For some of those players who have been involved in tight selection calls across the campaign, there's still time to have a big say in how the season ends. LEINSTER: Hugo Keenan; Jimmy O'Brien, Jamie Osborne, Jordie Barrett, James Lowe; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Thomas Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Jack Conan (capt). Replacements: Dan Sheehan, Jack Boyle, Rabah Slimani, RG Snyman, Max Deegan, Scott Penny, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley. SCARLETS: Blair Murray; Tom Rogers, Joe Roberts, Johnny Williams, Ellis Mee; Sam Costelow, Arhie Hughes; Alec Hepburn, Ryan Elias, Henry Thomas; Alex Craig, Sam Lousi; Vaea Fifita, Josh Macleod (capt), Taine Plumtree. Replacements: Marnus van der Merwe, Kemsley Mathias, Sam Wainwright, Dan Davis, Jarrod Taylor, Efan Jones, Ioan Lloyd, Macs Page. Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
