Uncapped Leinster Rugby duo Niamh Byrne and Alice O’Dowd have been added to Greg McWilliams Ireland squad ahead of Sunday’s clash with England.
Ireland will play the holders in Leicester on Sunday (KO 12pm) and a group of 33 players assembled at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Saturday for a one-day camp in preparation.
Laura Feely, Laura Sheehan, Mary Healy, Shannon Touhy and Sene Naoupu have also been added to the squad for the final two rounds of the competition.
Head coach Greg McWilliams will be without Sam Monaghan and Aoife Wafer this week, both ruled out through injury, while Stacey Flood, Lucy Mulhall, Anna McGann, Eve Higgins, Brittany Hogan, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Beibhinn Parsons have returned to the sevens programme.
“We had a really productive camp on Saturday, during which we got through a good body of work both on and off the pitch,” McWilliams said. “Unfortunately we will be without both Sam and Aoife through injuries this weekend.
“There are a number of players who have had to be patient during the first three Rounds of the Six Nations and they now have an opportunity to stake a claim for the green jersey.
“We have a good group of players in camp with us now, a nice mixture of experience and players who have impressed me during the Energia All-Ireland League season, and coming off the back of our win over Italy, are determined to finish the Championship with strong performances.”
Ireland Women’s Squad:
Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Alice O’Dowd (UCD/Leinster)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)
Aoife McDermott (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster)
Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)
Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby)
Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Grace Moore (Railway Union RFC/IQ Rugby)
Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)
Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Laura Feely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)
Laura Sheehan (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)
Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster)
Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)
Mary Healy (Naas/Suttonians/Leinster)
Michelle Claffey (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster)
Niamh Byrne (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) CAPTAIN
Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Nikki Caughey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Shannon Touhey (Tullamore/Connacht)
Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby)
