Scott Bemand names 37-player Irish preparation squad for World Cup
The initial squad contains two uncapped players, Balbriggan RFC's Alma Atagamen and Creggs RFC's Ivana Kiripati who are both included in the 21 forwards named.
Jane Clohessy and Aoife Corey have been rewarded with a call-up into the preparation squad having impressed on debut in the side's final Six Nations match against Scotland this season.
Sarah Delaney, Shannon Ikahihifo, Sam Monaghan, Eimear Corri and Beibhinn Parsons make their return to the squad after missing both the WXV1 and Six Nations campaigns through injury.
Bemand has also added to his coaching team with James Scaysbrook joining as defence coach.
Scaysbrook, a former Bath and Exeter Chiefs flanker, transitioned into coaching after his playing career. He coached in Hong Kong and Japan before taking up a position as an England Under-20s defence coach. Since 2020, he has been with Coventry RFC.
The team will assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre from Monday, 2 June and will undertake a series of camps before two home warm-up games against Scotland and Canada in early August.
"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," said Bemand.
"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."
Forwards: Alma Atagamen (Balbriggan RFC), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), (Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht), Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Ivana Kiripati (Creggs RFC/Connacht), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury), Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Shannon Ikahihifo (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union RFC/Munster)
Backs: Amee-Leigh Costigan (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Manawatū RFC/Leinster), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
8 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey to appear in court charged with rape
Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey is due to appear in court in the UK charged with raping two women. The midfielder faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault following alleged offences between 2021 and 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. The 32-year-old is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire previously said he 'denies all the charges against him', adding he welcomed 'the opportunity to finally clear his name'. The Ghanaian international was charged four days after leaving the North London club when his contract expired at the end of June. The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case Partey, of Hertfordshire, is accused of two counts of rape against one woman and three counts of rape against another. The sexual assault allegation relates to a third woman, according to the CPS. The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022. Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45 million. The defensive midfielder signed for the Spanish club in 2012 and made 188 appearances, as well as going out on loan to Mallorca and Leganes. He played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals. Partey has also made more than 50 appearances for Ghana – including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: 'The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.'
Irish Independent
9 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Former Arsenal footballer Thomas Partey to appear in court charged with rape of two women
The midfielder faces five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault following alleged offences between 2021 and 2022, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said. The 32-year-old is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday. Partey's lawyer Jenny Wiltshire previously said he 'denies all the charges against him', adding he welcomed 'the opportunity to finally clear his name'. The Ghanaian international was charged four days after leaving the North London club when his contract expired at the end of June. Partey, of Hertfordshire, is accused of two counts of rape against one woman and three counts of rape against another. The sexual assault allegation relates to a third woman, according to the CPS. The Metropolitan Police said it first received reports of an allegation of rape in February 2022. Partey joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 in a transfer worth around £45 million. The defensive midfielder signed for the Spanish club in 2012 and made 188 appearances, as well as going out on loan to Mallorca and Leganes. He played 35 games for the north London club in the Premier League last season, scoring four goals. Partey has also made more than 50 appearances for Ghana – including at the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. An Arsenal spokesperson previously said: 'The player's contract ended on June 30. Due to ongoing legal proceedings the club is unable to comment on the case.'
The Irish Sun
9 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Ireland rugby ace dressed as ‘Fred Flintstone' shocks pub crowd in Mayo with stunning accordion performance at stag do
The Leinster and Ireland star grabbed an accordion on stag night in Westport and belted out tunes in full fancy dress TUNE IN Ireland rugby ace dressed as 'Fred Flintstone' shocks pub crowd in Mayo with stunning accordion performance at stag do RUGBY star Robbie Henshaw had punters seeing double when he took to the accordion at a Mayo pub - dressed as Fred Flintstone. The Leinster and Ireland centre was enjoying a pal's stag do in Westport when he shocked locals with a trad session inside Dohertys bar. 2 The Ireland star donned a Fred Flinstone outfit as he showed his accordion skills in Mayo during a stag do 2 Robbie Henshaw in action for Ireland earlier this year against France in the Six Nations The Irish international, who missed out on the recent Lions tour showed off his well know musical skills on the squeezebox. Footage shared by the pub on Instagram showed Henshaw belting out tunes while his pal sings along. The pub posted the video with a caption that read: 'We were thrilled to welcome Irish Rugby international and Leinster star Robbie Henshaw today — and who better to treat us to a few tunes on the box!' The Kildare native has previously proven himself to be a man of many talents after a surreal appearance on The Late Late Show last year. And when he finished the song, he earned praise from audience members and host Patrick Kielty, after another fine display on the accordion. Despite missing out on a third British and Irish Lions tour, the Athlone man clearly isn't moping as he's hitting all the right notes. Elsewhere, Bundee Aki revealed he missed the birth of his fifth child as he prepared to face Australia in the Lions first Test match. In the lead up to the Lions 27-19 opening Test victory over the Wallabies, there was a new addition to the Aki family. Bundee's wife Kayla was in New Zealand with family when she got in touch to say she was ready to give birth. Ireland's 2024 players' player of the year's fifth child Aine Aki was born in a car on the way to the hospital, the day of her dad's second ever Lions Test appearance. Australia and Lions rugby stars are forced off the pitch mid-game due to threat of lightning He said: "I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital." The Connacht centre has credited his wife for taking the whole ordeal in her stride despite the difficulty of it all.
