The Ireland Women's U20s squad has been named for the inaugural Six Nations Women's Summer Series in Italy.
Following a series of camps at the IRFU High Performance Centre and a training camp in England, Head Coach Niamh Briggs has selected a squad of 28 players to travel to Parma, where Ireland will face England, Italy and Scotland.
Galwegians forward Jane Neill has been named captain, while Kate Flannery of UL Bohemian is vice-captain.
With each team permitted to include three U23 players in their match day squad, Briggs has selected Ruth Campbell, Amanda McQuade, Chisom Ugwueru, Faith Oviawe and Ivana Kiripati to travel.
Ireland's opening match is against England on Thursday, 4 July (Kick-off 5.30pm Irish time), before Briggs' side face Italy in Match Day 2 on Tuesday, 9 July (Kick-off 9am Irish time).
The campaign concludes against Scotland on Sunday, 14 July (Kick-off 9am), with all matches streamed live on the Six Nations U20 YouTube Channel, as well on IrishRugby.ie.
Hannah Wilson, Clara Barrett, Kiripati, Campbell, Neill and Flannery all featured in last year’s Ireland U20 squad in a series of matches against Scotland and Italy.
Six players named in the travelling squad featured in this year's Energia All-Ireland League Final at Aviva Stadium, including Player of the Match Ugwueru, as well as Beth Buttimer, Brianna Heylmann, Faith Oviawe, Éabha Nic Dhonnacha and Flannery.
15 of the 28 players also featured in this year’s Celtic Challenge for the Clovers and Wolfhounds, while Campbell, Kiripati, Flannery and Ugwuere were named in the Ireland training panel for the Guinness Women's Six Nations.
Speaking about the tournament Head Coach Niamh Briggs said, “It’s exciting for all of us to be part of this tournament. Having these structures in place at U18 and U20 is important in helping the players to develop and bridge the gap to senior internationals. This gives players time to expose themselves to better opposition and I suppose expose themselves to higher level rugby, expose themselves to camp and the environment that that brings.”
Commenting on the traveling squad announcement, Enda McDonagh, Managing Partner at PwC Ireland added:
"Everyone at PwC is really excited about the inaugural U20 Women’s Six Nations Summer Series campaign kicking off in Parma, Italy next week."
“We wish Head Coach Niamh Briggs, her wider coaching team and all the players in the travelling squad the very best of luck in their three fixtures, as they take on England, Italy and Scotland.”
Ireland U20 Women’s Squad – Six Nations Summer Series
FORWARDS:
Sophie Barrett - Enniskillen/Railway Union/Ulster
Grainne Burke - Ennis/Munster
Kelly Burke - Mullingar/Leinster
Beth Buttimer - UL Bohemian/Munster
Ruth Campbell - Old Belvedere/Leinster
Aoibheann Hahessy - UL Bohemian/Munster
Brianna Heylmann - UL Bohemian/Munster
Ivana Kiripati - American International College/Connacht
Roisin Maher - Galwegians/Connacht
Amanda McQuade - Ealing Trailfinders/IQ Rugby
Lily Morris - Killarney/Munster
Eadaoin Murtagh - Old Belvedere/Leinster
Jane Neill - Galwegians/Leinster (CAPTAIN)
Cliodhna Ni Chonchobhair - Blackrock College/Leinster
Faith Oviawe - Railway Union/Connacht
Hannah Wilson - Old Belvedere/Leinster
BACKS:
Clara Barrett - UL Bohemian/Connacht
Ellen Boylan - Blackrock College/Munster
Hannah Clarke - Tuam/Oughterard/Connacht
Kate Flannery - UL Bohemian/Munster (VICE CAPTAIN)
Jade Gaffney - Old Belvedere/Leinster
Niamh Gallagher - Saracens/IQ Rugby
May Goulding - Saracens/Old Albanian Saints/IQ Rugby
Lucia Linn - Loughborough University/IQ Rugby
Éabha Ni Dhonnacha - Tuam/Oughterard/UL Bohemian/Connacht
Robyn O'Connor - Wexford Wanderers/Leinster
Ellie O'Sullivan/Sexton - Mullingar/Leinster
Chisom Ugwueru – UL Bohemian/Munster
Ireland U20 Women's Management Team
Head Coach - Niamh Briggs
Assistant Coach - JP Walsh
Assistant Coach - Murray Houston
Athletic Development Coach - Paul Heasley
Physio - Aoife Healy
Kit Man - John McDonald
Analyst - Niamh O'Donovan
Nutrition - Leanne Varley
Team Manager - Becky Irvine
Ireland Fixtures - U20 Six Nations Women's Summer Series
England v Ireland, Thursday, July 4, kick off 6.30pm local time/5.30pm Irish time
Ireland v Italy, Tuesday, July 9, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time
Ireland v Scotland, Sunday, July 14, kick off 10am local time/9am Irish time
