Offaly trio named in Ireland squad for Women's Six Nations

Three players from Offaly have been selected on the Ireland squad for the TikTok Women's Six Nations, as preparations continue for the 2023 campaign opener away to Wales later this month.

The Ireland squad is captained by Kilcormac native Nichola Fryday, with Clara's Aoife Dalton and Tullamore's Ailsa Hughes also named in the squad. All three have played with Tullamore RFC at some stage.

Having assumed the captaincy for last year's Six Nations, second row forward Fryday will once again skipper the side.

Looking ahead to the Six Nations, Fryday said: "We're really excited to get the Six Nations underway, as it will be our first campaign together as a group since the Tour of Japan, which provided us with an invaluable platform to build together as a squad moving forward.

"The Celtic Challenge has granted so many players access to quality game time in recent weeks, and this coupled with the game time the UK-based players have had in the Premiership in recent months, will serve us well moving into the opening rounds of the Six Nations.

"It is always an exciting time of year and we're hugely motivated as a group to build on the positive aspects of last season and continue to grow and evolve under Greg (McWilliams) and the coaching team. It is brilliant to see eight uncapped players come into the group, as we are always striving to build squad depth and the value of the Women's Interprovincial Championship and Celtic Challenge is there for all to see.

"We are really looking forward to returning to Cork for two huge home matches, as the support we received at Musgrave Park last year was incredible," added the Offaly woman.

The eight uncapped players in the squad are as follows - forwards Niamh O'Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite, Molly Boyne, Kathryn Buggy and Clara Neilson, along with backs Ella Roberts and Emma Swords.

In addition to the 32 players included in the Six Nations squad, Ireland head coach Greg McWilliams has named 12 players in a wider training panel who will also assemble at the IRFU High Performance Centre this weekend for a two-day camp. These 12 players include Leah Tarpey, from Tullamore along with Mary Healy, Megan Collis, Andrea Stock, Emma Hooban, India Daley, Claire Bennett, Katie Whelan, Kayla Waldron, Ella Durkan, Clare Gorman and Aoife Corey.

Ireland open the Six Nations away to Wales at Cardiff Arms Park on Saturday, March 25 (kick-off 2.15pm, live on RTÉ2), before facing France at Musgrave Park in Cork on Saturday, 1 April (3.15pm).

After a down week, the campaign resumes with a trip to Parma to go head-to-head with Italy on Saturday, 15 April (4.45pm), and then McWilliams' side are back home in Cork for a showdown with England on Saturday, 22 April (2.15pm).

Ireland conclude the Six Nations against Scotland at the DAM Health Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday, 29 April (7.30pm).

Commenting on the squad announcement, McWilliams said: "There is a great sense of anticipation and excitement leading into the Six Nations. We are very excited about the group of players who will represent Ireland in the upcoming Championship and certainly the Celtic Challenge preparation has been vital for our development.

"We have identified players who are ready for international rugby and we have had the opportunity to work with those players over the last five weeks, with that contact time incredibly valuable as we build the depth and strength of the group. There is an exciting blend of youth and experience and these players are fit for Test rugby."

Ireland squad - Women's Six Nations

Forwards (18)

Niamh O'Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)

Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartbury/IQ Rugby)

Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartbury/Ulster)

Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby)

Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster)

Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht), captain

Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartbury/IQ Rugby)

Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)

Hannah O'Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)

Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby)

Maeve Óg O'Leary (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)

Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht)

Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)

Molly Boyne (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

Backs (14):

Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

Emma Swords (Harlequins/IQ Rugby)

Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)

Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)

Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)

Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster)

Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)

Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster)

Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)

Ella Roberts (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)

Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby).

Ireland fixtures

Wales v Ireland, Saturday, March 25, Cardiff Arms Park, 2.15pm

Ireland v France, Saturday, April 1, Musgrave Park, 3.15pm

Italy v Ireland, Saturday, April 15, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, 4.45pm

Ireland v England, Saturday, April 22, Musgrave Park, 2.15pm

Scotland v Ireland, Saturday, April 29, DAM Health Stadium, 7.30pm.