Sam Monaghan has been ruled out of Ireland's WXV campaign next month due to injury, with head coach Scott Bemand naming a 35-player squad for the tournament in Canada, as well as the warm-up Test with Australia in Belfast.
The second row, who co-captained Ireland during the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, has picked up an injury, and joins Béibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly, Katie Corrigan, Natasja Behan and Sadhbh McGrath among the list of high-profile injuries.
While Bemand is dealing with a lengthy injury list, the head coach has been able to call on the services of several of Ireland’s Olympic Sevens squad, with the experienced Stacey Flood and Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe making their returns to the 15-a-side game.
Centre Eve Higgins is also named in the squad, as are Sevens pair Emily Lane and Erin King, the latter of whom is uncapped at Test level.
King is one of ten uncapped players in the group, which also includes forwards Ruth Campbell, Siobhán McCarthy and Andrea Stock.
In the backline, U20 pair Robyn O’Connor and Chisom Ugwueru are included, as are Katie Heffernan, Katie Whelan and Alana McInerney, who has been rewarded for her impressive form in the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship.
In addition, Bemand has has also included six training panellists to link up with the squad next week, as Olympians Claire Boles and Vicky Elmes Kinlan are given the opportunity to impress alongside Hannah Clarke and Faith Oviawe of Connacht and Munster duo Jane Clohessy and Caitríona Finn, who have all stood out for their provinces in recent weeks.
Ireland face the Wallaroos at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday 14 September, a game which kickstarts the IRFU’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
The Ireland head coach is set to cut his squad to 30 after that game, with the group then heading to Vancouver where Ireland are set to face daunting tasks against New Zealand, Canada and USA in the top tier of the WXV.
Forwards: Sophie Barrett, Ruth Campbell, Sarah Delaney, Linda Djougang, Christy Haney, Brittany Hogan, Shannon Ikahihifo, Neve Jones, Erin King, Siobhán McCarthy, Edel McMahon, Clíodhna Moloney, Grace Moore, Deirbhile Nic a Bháird, Niamh O'Dowd, Andrea Stock, Fiona Tuite, Aoife Wafer, Dorothy Wall
Backs: Enya Breen, Aoife Dalton, Méabh Deely, Stacey Flood, Nicole Fowley, Katie Heffernan, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Anna McGann, Alana McInerney, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Dannah O’Brien, Robyn O’Connor, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Chisom Ugwueru, Katie Whelan
Training Panellists: Claire Boles, Hannah Clarke, Jane Clohessy, Caitríona Finn, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Faith Oviawe
Follow the RTÉ Sport WhatsApp channel for the best news, interviews, analysis and features, as well as details of our sports coverage across all RTÉ platforms.
