Latest news with #WXV1
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Monaghan and Parsons in Ireland RWC training squad
Ireland's Sam Monaghan and Beibhinn Parsons have both been included in a 37-player training squad for the Women's Rugby World Cup in England. Scott Bemand's side begin their tournament against Japan on 24 August with New Zealand and Spain also in their pool. Co-captain Monaghan has not played international rugby since the 2024 Six Nations with the 31-year-old lock missing this season's championship and last year's WXV1 campaign through a knee injury sustained playing for her club Gloucester-Hartpury. Olympian Parsons has also been absent through injury after she suffered two leg breaks in the space of four months, the second coming when representing Ireland Sevens in December. With 26 Tests to her name, only Enya Breen has more caps than Parsons among the backs in Bemand's panel. Forwards Sarah Delaney, Eimear Corri and Shannon Ikahihifo are all included after missing out on the Six Nations where Ireland finished third with two wins and three defeats. Alma Atagamen and Ivana Kiripati are the only two uncapped players in the panel. Influential forwards Erin King and Dorothy Wall have already been ruled out of the tournament through injuries sustained in the Six Nations. Ireland's final squad for the competition will be reduced to 32 players with the side playing warm-up games against Scotland in Cork on 2 August and Canada in Belfast seven days later. The side did not qualify for the 2021 World Cup after finishing eighth on home soil four years prior. Forwards: Alma Atagamen, Aoife Wafer, Brittany Hogan, Christy Haney, Cliodhna Moloney, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Edel McMahon, Fiona Tuite, Grace Moore, Ivana Kiripati, Jane Clohessy, Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Niamh O'Dowd, Ruth Campbell, Sadhbh McGrath, Sam Monaghan, Sarah Delaney, Shannon Ikahihifo, Siobhan McCarthy. Backs: Amee-Leigh Costigan, Anna McGann, Aoibheann Reilly, Aoife Corey, Aoife Dalton, Beibhinn Parsons, Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane, Enya Breen, Eve Higgins, Katie Corrigan, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Nicole Fowley, Stacey Flood, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe marks Black Ferns return with seven-try showing
Portia Woodman-Wickliffe's return from retirement paid big dividends for New Zealand at the weekend when the veteran winger scored seven tries to help the world champions thrash the United States 79-14 and retain the Pacific Four title. Ireland, who beat the Black Ferns in last year's WXV1, will meet New Zealand in the third game of their World Cup Pool C campaign in September. Katelyn Vahaakolo on the other wing chipped in with four tries but it was Woodman-Wickliffe who caught the eye with some devastating finishing as the team produced a statement win three months before their Women's World Cup title defence. The 33-year-old, who was playing her first Test since the 2022 World Cup final after coming out of retirement in April, also overhauled Vanessa Coutts as her country's all-time leading try scorer with 45 five-pointers in 26 internationals. "It's always amazing to represent the black jersey and the legacy that we have, but it's really cool for where we can go from here," twice World Player of the Year Woodman-Wickliffe said. "For me, I just finish what the girls are doing, if I'm there to finish the tries out wide, then that's my job done. We've still got a lot of work to do as a whole team, which is really exciting." After drawing 27-27 in their last outing against Canada, New Zealand needed to beat the US by 25 points and earn a bonus point on Saturday to retain the Pacific Four title. Despite the Americans scoring the first try, that proved no problem at Auckland's North Harbour Stadium with Sevens standout Jorja Miller (above) also on fire on her Test debut at openside flanker. Canada earlier also finished the tournament unbeaten after putting sixth-ranked Australia to the sword 45-7 with a clinical performance at Brisbane's Lang Park. New Zealand have won six of the nine previous Women's World Cups but are ranked third in the world behind World Cup hosts England and Canada. Scott Bemand's Ireland side will play World Cup warm-ups against Scotland and Canada at the start of August. They face Japan, Spain and New Zealand in Pool C of the World Cup in August and September.
Wales Online
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Wales' women's rugby team ended Six Nations in tears, so what has gone so wrong?
Wales' women's rugby team ended Six Nations in tears, so what has gone so wrong? Wales Women endured their worst ever Six Nations campaign Abbie Fleming, Kate Williams and Georgia Evans of Wales were emotional after defeat to Italy (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) In January 2022 the Welsh Rugby Union announced it would be awarding 12 professional contracts to a select group of its female rugby players, a number which has now risen to 37. The WRU was finally giving the women's game the respect it deserved, with the new professional contracts set to usher in a new era of prosperity. While significant strides have been made off the field, the past two Six Nations campaigns prove Wales are a long way behind many of their rivals after finishing with two wooden spoons in succession. Last year the WRU were heavily criticised for the way they dealt with negotiations over new contracts with the Wales Women's players, as former executive director of rugby Nigel Walker came under heavy fire. But when the WRU announced 37 new full-time contracts in August they insisted the move would make its women players "one of the best paid international women's teams in the world game". The reality is just because you suddenly pay someone to do something doesn't automatically turn them into world beaters overnight. It takes time and Wales were always playing catch up against the better nations, but what has confused many supporters is the fact they performed much better when they had fewer professionals or none to what they have done over the past two seasons. In 2023, Wales finished third in the Six Nations, thumped Ireland and Italy, and qualified for the top tier WXV1 competition. They are a long way from that right now. Article continues below Over the last couple of years both Scotland and Ireland have taken steps to professionalise the women's game, making them tougher opposition. Their progression has undeniably seen them catch Wales up and surpass them by some margin. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. But most experts would have expected Wales to have won at least once in this year's Six Nations, especially considering they had appointed the highly-rated Gloucester Hartpury head coach Sean Lynn, while they also brought in Dan Murphy as their first ever defence coach. Throughout the course of this year's Six Nations Wales played in fits and starts; performing well for certain parts of the game but they could not sustain the required level for the course of the full 80 minutes. There were positives to come out of the narrow 24-21 defeat to Scotland while Wales started well against England in front of a record crowd of 21,186 at the Principality Stadium. They were spirited in the first-half against France in Brive while they held the lead at half-time in Parma before imploding during the second-half against Italy. Georgia Evans of Wales charges forward (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd ) Wales were outmuscled up-front far too often and didn't quite have the firepower necessary to hurt the better sides. They have some quality players in the shape of Jazz Joyce, Keira Bevan and Gwen Crabb, among others, but they do not have the depth or firepower of other nations. Lynn's Six Nations squad of 37 had 25 players who play their club rugby across the Severn Bridge in the PWR. While the standard is very high in the PWR many Welsh players are not guaranteed starting places at their club, with English players understandably prioritised in many cases. With Lynn as coach, one would expect there to be a greater collaboration with English clubs given his links with Gloucester Hartpury. They may not say it in public but the gulf in standard between the Welsh clubs, Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder in the Celtic Challenge, and what is on offer in the PWR is vast with the step up to international level too much according to one insider. The WRU has asked its four professional clubs - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - along with selected universities to bid to form new women's teams. The successful applicants will replace Gwalia Lightning and Brython Thunder in the Celtic Challenge, with the WRU revealing the cost of each team will be match-funded by the governing body, with each club's operating cost expected to be £200,000 a season. "From my personal experience across the border, the English clubs have recognised the value and commercial opportunities available in women's rugby," the WRU's head of women's and girls rugby Belinda Moore said in a statement. "This will not be easy, and we expect to have detailed discussions around what support the WRU will provide and to scrutinise what the clubs who apply will offer the next generation of players in Wales. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "Cardiff Met's recent fantastic success, beating Loughborough and being crowned Women's BUCS Super Rugby champions, included 10 players who played in the Celtic Challenge last season," said Moore. "It underlines that Wales produces rugby talent, and we just need to provide that talent with the opportunity and a stage to develop and flourish." Lynn says he needs a "good pre-season" with his squad (Image: Gareth Everett/Huw Evans Agency ) This should help increase the player pool available to the national side and also provide an opportunity to repatriate some players who are based in England. But it is as much about quality as it is about quantity and while the new competition should give Lynn greater access to players and also allow them more game time, the quality will not be as high as it is in the PWR for a good few years. The WRU invested in the top end of the game but it needs to strengthen the core of the game and the supporting pillars of the national side. As controversial as it is, whether some of the professional players can cope with the intensity and the high standards of elite level sport where you are judged on results, is up for debate. What is imperative is that Lynn quickly assesses whether the culture in the squad is at the professional level required and if the players currently at his disposal have a high enough ceiling to make it at this level. Lynn himself labelled many of the performances as "unacceptable" and it was inferred he may wield the axe in Australia this summer, opting to have a look at some of the players in the pathway instead. But much like the men's national side, the reality is there isn't a plethora of world class talent tucked away under a rock. Article continues below The squad which took the field for the Six Nations is realistically the one he will take to the World Cup for the most part. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. Going professional was never going to transform Wales' competitiveness overnight, especially with other nations having recently gone the same way, and others like England having been so for a very long time. Much like the men's team the women will have to go through some short-term pain and the hope is the work the WRU are doing to strengthen the foundations of the game will bear fruit over the next five years.
Irish Independent
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Independent
Sinéad Kissane: Turbulent end can't mask real progress for Irish women
Scott Bemand gets reminder of Ireland's flaws and need for greater depth in painful defeat to Scots after season of positives When the regional aeroplane that included the Ireland squad landed in Edinburgh Airport on Thursday, the flight attendant proudly announced to those on board that they had arrived on schedule. Air miles have been part of the Ireland itinerary this season, with six of their nine games away from home. They travelled to Canada for the WXV1 competition last autumn and then flew to Parma, Cardiff and Edinburgh in this Women's Six Nations campaign. But such is sport that when it looks like you've arrived, it turns out there's still a way to travel.
Extra.ie
26-04-2025
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Ireland women's incredible turnaround can be crowned with victory over Scotland
The size of the improvement of the Ireland women's team and the speed with which it has taken place makes this one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the history of Irish rugby. You think of Mick Doyle transforming the men's team from Wooden Spoon whipping boys in 1984 to Triple Crown champions the following year; Munster going from a semi-pro rag-taggle outfit in the late 1990s to one of the most feared club sides in Europe under Declan Kidney; and, of course, the stunning and rapid rise of Connacht under Pat Lam in 2015-16, from Irish afterthoughts to Celtic League champions in the space of a few months. The Ireland women's team is in that territory now. It does not seem that long since every story surrounding women's rugby in this country came with a negative slant. Cliodhna Moloney during the Women's Six Nations game between Ireland and France at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast. Pic: Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile A wretched run of international results was accompanied by disparaging remarks by male officials, angry letters and petitions to the IRFU, tales of offfield indiscipline, pre-match protests and players togging out next to rat-infested wheelie bins. It was hard going, for all concerned and all too fresh in the memory. But the belated decision to put some investment and logical planning (such as the re-inclusion of the Sevens stars) into the game has reaped returns which, if we are being truthful, have far exceeded expectations. There was, inevitably, an element of catch-up, given the head-start countries like England and France had in terms of professionalism, but Ireland closed the gap rapidly ? most obviously with their stunning win over New Zealand in the WXV1 last year. There is an encouraging sense of progression around this squad and the more time spent on proper preparation, the more evidence of improvement. Ireland look like a proper, well-coached team playing a brand of rugby that is easy on the eye, while throwing up names like Béibhínn Parsons, Erin King, Aoife Wafer and Aoife Dalton with genuine star quality that capture the imagination of young supporters in particular. Ireland head coach Scott Bemand. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady Scott Bemand has done an excellent job since taking over as head coach and, while their two defeats at home to France and England were decisive, Ireland rattled their better resourced opponents on both occasions with no sense of them being completely out of their depth, as had happened in the not-too-distant past. The wins away to Italy and Wales, by 54-12 and 40-14 were excellent reaffirmation that this team is on the right path and today they seek to cement their status as the third best team in Europe when they take on Scotland at The Hive in Edinburgh. The Scots are in the middle of their own rebuilding process but further back than Ireland and, after a decent opening win at home to Wales in their first outing, have shipped heavy defeats to France and England as well as a scrappy loss at home to Italy. They have targeted this game in a big way – mindful of the fact that they romped to a 36-10 win in the corresponding fixture two years ago – and also aware that the visitors are without their marquee trio of Parsons, Wafer and King. However, even minus their biggest names, Ireland are a completely different proposition to the team of 2023 and, while they will not fall into the trap of underestimating the challenge posed by their hosts, there is an air of confidence hovering over this squad which is compelling. Ireland's Erin King (r) is unavailable for the clash against Scotland. Pic: INPHO/Travis Prior 'We want to win and we want to put big scores up against teams,' said centre Dalton this week. '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.' They should be able to achieve that ambition this afternoon, although the Scots will put up stern resistance at home. Ireland loosehead prop Niamh O'Dowd has been one of the big success stories with this team and encapsulates the drive and confidence coursing through the squad. 'It's been building for the last year and a half, two years,' O'Dowd tells us. 'There's a real positivity in the group and especially with some of the results we got in WXV and then the wins we've had away from home in the Six Nations. There's definitely a lot of positivity in the group, and everyone just wants to get out and play at the weekend. We've got girls winning their first caps, so it's all very positive and very exciting.' 'These games against Scotland, they're always a very competitive affair and going to the Hive is never an easy task,' O'Dowd said. 'They have very good support up there. We know what they are like. They're a very organized outfit, have a lot of experienced players, and plenty of caps. 'We know what we're going into. We're excited to bring a good performance there.' Ireland have unfinished buisiness with the World Cup having failed to qualify last time and losing today would be a major morale blow ahead of their redemption mission later this year. That should focus minds for a big finish to the season.
