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Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Scott Bemand names 37-player preparation squad ahead of the Women's Rugby World Cup
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has named a 37-player preparation squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup in England later this summer. There are two uncapped players in the squad with Bemand selecting Alma Atagamen and Ivan Kiripati. Following impressive debuts in the Guinness Women's Six Natinos against Scotland Jane Clohessy and Aoife Corey have been rewarded with selection for the preparation squad. Sam Monaghan, Beibhinn Parsons, Sarah Delaney, Eimear Corri and Shannon Ikahihifo all make their return to the squad after missing the WXV1 and Six Nations campaigns through injury. Bemand may add additional players in the coming weeks. The team will meet up at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday June 2 to undertake a series of camps before their two warm-up games against Scotland and Canada in August. Speaking on his preparation squad selection Bemand said 'We're excited to come back together as a group refreshed, recharged, and ready to build towards what promises to be a huge few months. "The competition for places in the final World Cup squad will be fierce, and I know the players will embrace that challenge. 'There's great continuity within the squad, with many of the group having come through WXV1 last September, but we've also brought in some young talent who are hungry to make their mark. Now it's about putting in the hard work. We've got a valuable block of time ahead to prepare, and we're looking forward to the opportunity to test ourselves in front of home support in Cork and Belfast this August.' James Scaysbrook joins Bemands coaching team as defence coach alongside Denis Fogarty (Scrum Coach), Alex Codling (Forwards Coach) and Gareth Steenson (Kicking Coach). Former Bath and Exeter Chiefs flanker Scaysbrook has transitioned into coaching following his playing career. He coached in Hong Kong and Japan before joining the England U20s as Defence Coach. He joined Coventry RFC in 2020 and now is linking up with the Ireland Women's Coaching team. Ireland Women's Rugby World Cup 2025 Preparation Squad Forwards: Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC)* Aoife Wafer (Leinster) Brittany Hogan (Ulster) Christy Haney (Leinster) Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs) Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Munster) Edel McMahon (Connacht) Eimear Corri (Leinster) Fiona Tuite (Ulster) Grace Moore (IQ Rugby) Ivana Kiripati (Connacht)* Jane Clohessy (Munster) Linda Djougang (Leinster) Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury) Niamh O'Dowd (Leinster) Ruth Campbell (Leinster) Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster) Sam Monaghan (IQ Rugby) Sarah Delaney (Leinster) Shannon Ikahihifo (IQ Rugby) Siobhán McCarthy (Munster) Backs: Amee-Leigh Costigan (Munster) Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC) Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht) Aoife Corey (Munster) Aoife Dalton (Leinster) Béibhinn Parsons (Connacht) Dannah O'Brien (Leinster) Emily Lane (Munster) Enya Breen (Munster) Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC) Katie Corrigan (Leinster) Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster) Nicole Fowley (Connacht) Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC) Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC) Training Panellist: Méabh Deely (Connacht) *denotes uncapped
RTÉ News
26-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Preview: Ireland out to complete best W6NN finish since 2017
Two expected wins and two expected defeats. Saturday in Edinburgh is set to define Ireland's Guinness Women's Six Nations campaign. Even with Ireland almost guaranteed to finish third in the table, there is no sense of this being a dead rubber. If anything, the table is an irrelevance for Ireland this week, who are looking to win three away games in the championship for the first time since 2017. The big challenge facing thm this week will be whether or not they can do it without Aoife Wafer. Player of the match in last week's 40-14 win against Wales, the number eight has been one of the standout individuals in the championship – not just this Irish team – but a knee injury keeps her out for the trip to Edinburgh. With four tries in four games, Wafer is the joint-top scorer in this year's Six Nations, while her 70 carries are 22 more than any other player, and she ranks in the top five for broken tackles, running metres and breakdown steals. A force multiplier, it will be fascinating to see how Ireland cope without her, particularly with their other big back row prospect, Erin King, out injured long-term. There is a silver lining, even if it's relatively thin. Back row is a position that Ireland do have plenty of options in, and Scott Bemand has responded by moving Brittany Hogan back to her old home of number 8, while Dorothy Wall returns to the back row. Wall has only featured as a lock for Ireland under Bemand, but having won around half of her 36 caps as a flanker, the 24-year-old is well versed at blindside. While Bemand and his squad will naturally be keen to finish the campaign on a high note, their relatively safe position in third has given him scope to make some tweaks to his side, with half an eye towards the World Cup this summer. Aoife Corey has been rewarded for her good form in both the Celtic Challenge and Energia All-Ireland League with a start this afternoon in Edinburgh. Having not even made the initial 35-player squad at the start of the championship, Corey (below) is put into the 15 shirt, replacing Stacey Flood in the back-field, while 22-year-old Vicky Elmes-Kinlan gets her first start of the championship on the right wing. There is also a debut on the bench, and one with a familiar surname. Jane Clohessy, daughter of former Munster and Ireland prop Peter, is set to win her first cap off the bench. The back-row forward had been named in the Ireland squad for last year's WXV in Canada, but after missing that championship with injury, will now get her chance to match her father by earning an international cap. A win for Ireland on Saturday would so see them hit their best points total on the table since 2017, where they won four games and finished second. And two years on from scoring a meagre three tries and 25 points, the Irish attack has evolved to the point where this could be their highest scoring campaign ever. With 114 points and 18 tries across these four games, Bemand's side would beat their highest ever points haul, which they set in their 2015 title-winning season (139 points and 20 tries), if they hit 26 points this afternoon at The Hive. Historically Ireland have dominated this fixture, winning 13 of their last 17 meetings, but a fascinating rivalry has emerged in recent years. Scotland have been at the centre of two of the darkest days in Irish women's rugby history – on the pitch at least. In 2021 they lit the flame when they beat Ireland in their World Cup qualification play-off in Parma, and they were 36-1o winners when these sides met in Edinburgh two years ago (below), handing Ireland a first Six Nations wooden spoon since 2004. Between those wins, Ireland have had two dramatic victories over the Scots in Belfast. In 2022, Enya Breen's late try and conversion saw Ireland snatch a 15-14 win with the final play of the game, while last year Ireland were 15-12 winners, a result which secured their World Cup and WXV 1 qualification. It's been a mixed campaign for Bryan Easson's side, who finished second in WXV 2 behind Australia in the autumn. After starting with a gritty win against Wales, they showed some positive flashes in a 38-15 defeat to France in Round 2 but then fell to a disappointing 25-17 defeat to Italy. Last week, they had their doors blown off by England's second-string team in the opening 40 minutes in Leicester, 42-0 down by half-time, before a spirited second half saw the game end 59-7. Easson has made three changes to his side from that game, with prop Leah Bartlett, scrum-half Leia Brebner-Holden and captain Rachel Malcolm all coming back into the side. An experienced first XV, Scotland have eight players with 50 or more Test caps each, but behind that they are relying on youth. On their bench, Molly Poolman, Becky Boyd, Gemma Bell, Rhea Clarke, Evie Willis and Lucia Scott have a combined 16 caps between them. If Ireland can get through the first hour with a lead, their greater depth should be enough to lead them to their best championship finish since 2017. Verdict: Ireland by 15 Scotland: Chloe Rollie; Rhona Lloyd, Emma Orr, Lisa Thomson, Francesca McGhie; Helen Nelson, Leia Brebner-Holden; Leah Bartlett, Lana Skeldon, Ellian Clarke; Jade Konkel, Sarah Bonar; Rachel Malcolm, Rachel McLachlan, Evie Gallagher Replacements: Elis Martin, Anne Young, Molly Poolman, Becky Boyd, Gemma Bell, Rhea Clarke, Evie Willis, Lucia Scott 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
RTÉ News
24-04-2025
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Aoife Dalton: Ireland have earned the right to be confident
Aoife Dalton says Ireland won't be motivated by the past when they return to Edinburgh to face Scotland on Saturday. Scott Bemand's side conclude their 2025 Guinness Women's Six Nations at the Hive this weekend, where a win will mark their best championship return in eight years. Since finishing second in the championship in 2017, Ireland have only picked up three wins on one occasion. Victory this weekend will see them match that haul, and give them their highest points total in the last eight seasons. Two years ago, Ireland were thumped 36-10 by Scotland in Edinburgh, the final defeat in their wooden spoon campaign. But ahead of returning to the Hive on Saturday, Dalton says righting those wrongs has not been part of their agenda. "We haven't really spoken about it," the centre (below) said this week. "We've a completely new coaching team now and we've had quite a big turnaround in terms of players but definitely, there are girls there from that time. "We could have said the same about going over to Parma or going to Wales, we lost all of those games two years ago. "[We are] Just trying to focus on ourselves and where we are now and how we can build on performances each week." Still a week shy of turning 22-years-old, Dalton has become an established international for Ireland since making her debut in 2022, with 21 caps to her name, and she has started all four games of this championship. Having finished third in the table with two wins last season, they followed it up with a breakthrough win against New Zealand, and a runners-up finish at the WXV in October. That's seen the perception of this Irish team change in a very short period, and Dalton says they are well aware that Scotland will be looking to take a scalp when they travel to the Murrayfield shadows this weekend. "The coaches have said it; we've kind of lost that element of surprise now, we don't tend to shock teams anymore when we put out a good performance. "We've earned the right to go over there and not be afraid to say that we want to win and we want to put big scores up against teams. "I think we can go over there with confidence. We've had two wins out of four now and have put in some good performances. "At the same time, two years ago we lost over there and with the nature of it being the last game, they are at home, they've one win, so they'll come out all guns blazing at the start and we have to be ready for that. "I think we're really excited. We've targeted all the away games. Over the last five years, we've probably had a pretty bad away record so we want to try and rewrite that narrative and hopefully get a win at the weekend," Dalton said. Saturday's game will also be the last opportunity for players to make an impression on Bemand before their World Cup pre-season camp begins in June. And while there will be a warm-up game against Scotland in August, as well as one versus Canada, assistant coach Denis Fogarty (above) says now is the time for players to catch the eye. "It will be massive for us, especially like I said, it's going into a World Cup block," Fogarty said. "It's quite important for us that we keep that momentum going. It was a tough outing probably against England, but how they bounced back [against Wales] has shown that growth. That resilience within the group. "The focus now is ensuring that we finish on a high. You see the depth within the squad is growing as well, which has helped. It even helps from a training point of view, of how competitive things are getting. "It's massive for us. We've spoken about it all week, of making sure that we finish this on a high and going into it [World Cup block] in a good space." Watch a URC double-header, Scarlets v Leinster and Ulster v Sharks, on Saturday from 4.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player
BBC News
18-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Bemand says Ireland will regroup from King blow
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand is confident his squad will regroup from losing influential flanker Erin King for the remainder of the Six Nations and the World Cup later this sustained a knee injury in Ireland's defeat by England last weekend and the full extent of it was made public on Thursday."It does affect you but we understand injuries can happen," said Bemand three days before Ireland's contest against Wales at Rodney Parade on Sunday."The group have circled round her really well. Erin doesn't want us moping. She wants us to go out and put in a performance. "We'll take a bit of Erin energy, we'll bring it to training this week and take it to Wales with us because she's still part of the group and around it."Squad skipper Edel McMahon could slot back into the back row after missing the England defeat because of a knock while Enniskillen native Claire Bowles will be another option to come in for the unlucky King."We can't be reliant on one player. We've got to keep growing the depth. There are girls coming through," added the Ireland coach. "Edel is back on line this week. Claire Bowles has been outstanding through the camp and brings her own unique brand of open-side flanker. We've got some options. We're OK and we'll be able to put a performance out there."Bemand revealed that King's injury is related to her cartilage rather than cruciate ligament damage but it's still serious enough to end her hopes of featuring at the World Cup. "The doctors said to her that they were surprised she could carry on but she said it was just a niggle," added the Ireland coach."It actually deteriorated after the game. So it wasn't like she couldn't run around or move it during the game."Ireland led early on against England in Cork and while England scored 42 unanswered points in the second half to win 49-5, Bemand felt that his team's first-half shortcomings were just as contributory to the ultimately heavy defeat."It's not just about looking at the second half. We've gone pretty hard at the first half because if we get that bit right and we're 15, 17-0 up at half-time, what does that England team talk look like at half-time?"We could have had more scoreboard pressure in that first block."
BBC News
17-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Winning away games key for World Cup preparation
Women's Six Nations: Wales v IrelandVenue: Rodney Parade Date: Sunday, 20 April Kick-off: 15:00 BSTCoverage: Watch on BBC One Wales, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport online Ireland head coach Scott Bemand says becoming accustomed to picking up positive results away from home is an important part of his side's preparation for this year's Women's Rugby World Cup in Irish beat then world ranked number one side New Zealand and the USA as part of their WXV1 campaign in Canada in the autumn and ended a four-year wait for a victory on the road in the Women's Six Nations when they overcame Italy 54-12 in Parma last side finish this year's tournament with trips to Wales and Scotland."There were some things we had to tick off. We hadn't won away since 2021 at the start of this competition," reflected the Ireland coach before this weekend's trip to Newport to face the Welsh."In terms of building a group and building some experiences that tee us up for the future, obviously a World Cup coming over the horizon, winning away is really important."We've said we want to go after winning games away from home because that's going to be a massive part of the World Cup so us backing the Italy piece up by going away from home and taking the green wave over there is going to be a massive thing for us." Playing away 'brings different challenges' Ireland sit third in the Six Nations table with two rounds of fixtures still to play, well off the pace being set by table toppers England and France, who have both seen off the challenge of the have lost all of their first three matches but Bemand expects a stiff challenge against a renowned rugby nation."I grew up fairly close to Wales and I understand what it's like to play in Wales. It's an unbelievable experience. They're passionate about their rugby."It [playing away from home] brings different challenges. Away from home you've got the noise, the atmosphere, the occasion, and we've got to learn to deal with that and get excited by it."So still a young group. I've seen nothing in the eyes but good energy to get over there and get the job done. It's not going to be easy but we're fully ready for that."Bemand has regular captain Edel McMahon available again for this weekend's encounter at Rodney Parade after missing the defeat by England last time out."She brings some bang with the tackles and she brings an extra component of leadership back to the group," said Bemand. "Enya Breen is back in the melting pot too [after injury].On a more downbeat note, back row Erin King will miss the remainder of the competition, and has also been ruled out of the World Cup, after sustaining a serious knee injury.
