Five Connacht players have been named in the 33-player Ireland Women’s squad for the upcoming Autumn Tests against USA and Japan at the RDS Stadium.
Shannon Touhey from Galwegians is in line to win her first cap along with Westport's Grace Browne Moran and they join Bebhinn Parsons, Laura Feely and Nicola Fryday as the Connacht players in the squad.
Head Coach Adam Griggs has included six uncapped players in his panel, rewarding a number of young players who have performed impressively for their Provinces during the recent Vodafone Women’s Inter-Provincial Championship and in the opening weeks of the Energia Women’s All-Ireland League season.
Leinster’s Mary Healy and Ella Roberts, Munster duo Maeve Og O’Leary and Alana McInerny and Connacht’s Grace Browne Moran and Shannon Touhey are all named in the extended squad ahead of the Tests against USA on Friday, 12th November (Kick-off 7.15pm) and Japan on Saturday, 20th November (Kick-off 3pm).
Ciara Griffin will once again captain Ireland for the back-to-back Autumn Tests at the RDS, with tickets now available for both games via Ticketmaster.ie. The Friday night clash against USA Eagles – set to be the first Women’s international played at the RDS – will be live on the RTÉ Player, while the visit of Japan to Dublin will be broadcast on RTÉ2.
Commenting ahead of the Tests, Griffin said: “We’re looking forward to two Test matches on home soil this November, and we’re excited about the opportunity to play in front of our supporters again. A Friday Night game under the lights promises to be a special occasion and we hope to see as many of our supporters as possible at the RDS.”
Ireland Autumn Tests Squad
Forwards (18):
Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster)
Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union/Leinster)
Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian/Munster)
Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Leah Lyons (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
Mary Healy (Suttonians/Leinster)*
Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster)
Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Aoife McDermott (Railway Union/Leinster)
Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Grace Browne Moran (Westport/Connacht)*
Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster)(Captain)
Anna Caplice (Gloucester/IQ Rugby)
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Maeve Og O’Leary (Blackrock College/Munster)*
Backs (15):
Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster)
Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Shannon Touhey (Galwegians/Connacht)*
Alana McInerny (UL Bohemians/Munster)*
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/Munster)
Laura Sheehan (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)
Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)*
Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)* Denotes uncapped player
Ireland Women Autumn Test Schedule:
- Ireland v USA, Friday 12th November, 7.15pm, RDS (RTÉ Player)
- Ireland v Japan, Saturday 20th November, 3pm, RDS (RTÉ 2).
