Squad Announcement and Costigan’s Absence
Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has named a 36-player squad for the upcoming Women’s Six Nations, including nine uncapped players. However, key winger Amee Leigh Costigan will not be part of the squad as she recently announced her pregnancy with twins.
Costigan, who captained Ireland during last year’s Six Nations matches against France and England and scored two tries at the previous World Cup, will be absent for this campaign.
Leadership and Uncapped Players
The squad will be captained by flanker Erin King, who was appointed in January after recovering from a knee injury that prevented her participation in the World Cup.
Bemand’s group of uncapped players includes four backs: Robyn O’Connor, Alana McInerney, Caitriona Finn, and Niamh Gallagher. O’Connor, a Leinster back-three player, impressed during the Ireland under-20s Six Nations summer series last year and has scored four tries for the Wolfhounds in this season’s Celtic Challenge. The forwards among the uncapped players are Beth Buttimer, Jemima Adams Verling, Eilis Cahill, Aoibheann McGrath, and Sophie Barrett.
"Following on from last year's Rugby World Cup, we've got a strong core of experienced players who have been central to the journey we have been on as a squad, alongside some emerging talent that have come through the pathways and underage system," said Bemand, who signed a contract extension on Wednesday.
"We had a positive three-day camp in January to lay the foundations for what's ahead and the group - both players and staff - are excited to come back together now to narrow the focus on the challenges ahead."
Injuries and Player Returns
Bemand, who has guided Ireland to consecutive third-place finishes in the Six Nations and a quarter-final appearance at last year’s World Cup, will also be without former co-captain Edel McMahon. McMahon has been ruled out of the tournament following knee surgery.
However, Dorothy Wall, McMahon’s Exeter Chiefs teammate, returns to the squad after missing the World Cup due to injury. Influential forward Aoife Wafer is also included despite an injury-affected 2025 season.
Wafer missed most of Ireland’s World Cup campaign with a knee injury but returned for the quarter-final against France. Unfortunately, she sustained a broken collarbone and ruptured medial collateral ligament in that match, delaying her debut for Harlequins until December after transferring from Leinster post-World Cup.
Upcoming Fixtures
Ireland will begin their Six Nations campaign against world champions England at Allianz Stadium on 11 April. England have won seven consecutive Six Nations titles and last lost a match in 2018.
The team will then host Italy in Galway on 18 April before traveling to France for their third match on 25 April.
The tournament concludes with two home games: against Wales in Belfast on 9 May and Scotland in Dublin on 17 May. The fixture against Scotland will mark Ireland’s first stand-alone Women’s Six Nations match at the Aviva Stadium, having previously played Italy there in 2014 as part of a double-header with the men’s team.
Ireland Women’s Six Nations Squad
Forwards (21):
Jemima Adams Verling (Galwegians/Connacht), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen/Cooke/Ulster), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian/Munster), Eilis Cahill (UL Bohemian/Munster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian/Munster), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks/Ulster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Erin King (Old Belvedere/Leinster, captain), Aoibheann McGrath (Ballincollig/Munster), Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke/Ulster), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women), Niamh O'Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury/Leinster), Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ailish Quinn (Galwegians/Connacht), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)
Backs (15):
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian/Munster), Anna McGann (Railway Union/Connacht), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College/Connacht), Caitriona Finn (UL Bohemian/Munster), Dannah O'Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), Nancy McGillivray (Exeter Chiefs), Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women), Robyn O'Connor (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow/Leinster)
