Old Belvedere duo Dannah O’Brien and Aoife Dalton are the only IRFU contracted players to be named in Leinster’s squad for the upcoming interpro series.
With a World Series event in Hamilton clashing with the final round of interpro matches on the weekend of January 21st, followed by another competition in Sydney the following week, those involved in the Ireland Sevens set-up have not been released due to their early travel to the southern hemisphere.
As a result, Leinster head coach Tania Rosser is without big names such as Stacey Flood and Lucy Mulhall, among others.
Blackrock pair Christy Haney and Hannah O’Connor have been named co-captains of a squad that still boasts international experience despite those who are unavailable; Jenny Murphy, Aoife McDermott and Molly Scuffil-McCabe are among the Ireland internationals also named.
“We have selected an exciting combination of experienced and youthful talent,” said Rosser upon the squad announcement. “Our challenge is to build a cohesive group that genuinely compete for selection, we see the interprovincial series as a crucial step towards the players earning an opportunity to pull on an Irish jersey.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the players compete at the next level, following their performances in the Energia WAIL competition. It’s fantastic to see so many young players emerge from our province, which is filled with a wealth of potential.
“I would like to thank all the clubs across the 12 counties for their part in developing the women’s and girls game. We also want to recognize the five regional teams that play a vital role in our Leinster player pathway.”
Leinster begin their interpro campaign by hosting Connacht at Energia Park next Saturday. That is their only home game of the series as they travel to Cork to take on Munster on January 14th, followed by a trip to Ulster on the 21st.
2023 Leinster Rugby Women’s Interprovincial Series Squad: Ailsa Hughes, Alison Coleman, Anna Doyle, Aoife Dalton, Aoife McDermott, Carrie O’Keeffe, Chloe Blackmore, Christy Haney (co-captain), Clare Gorman, Clodagh Dunne, Dannah O’Brien, Eimear Corri, Elaine Anthony, Elise O Byrne-White, Ella Roberts, Emma Kelly, Emma Murphy, Emma Tilly, Hannah O’Connor (co-Captain), Jenny Murphy, Jess Keating, Katie Whelan, Lisa Callan, Lisa Mullen, Mary Healy, Megan Collis, Molly Boyne, Molly Scuffil McCabe, Niamh O’Dowd, Niamh Byrne, Catherine Martin.
2023 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Fixtures
Saturday, 7 January 2023
Leinster v Connacht, Energia Park, 2.30pm (live on TG4)
Munster v Ulster Musgrave Park, 4.45pm (live on TG4)
Saturday, 14 January 2023
Munster v Leinster, Musgrave Park, 12:15pm (live on TG4)
Ulster v Connacht, Kingspan Stadium, 2.30pm (live on BBC NI)
Saturday, 21 January 2023
Connacht v Munster, The Sportsground, 1.00pm (live on TG4)
Ulster v Leinster, Queen’s University Upper Malone, 5.30pm (live on BBC NI)
