Munster to face Connacht in opening Women’s Interprovincial of the season

Munster’s Women’s rugby team get their interpro campaign underway against Connacht at Musgrave Park on Saturday.

Head Coach Laura Guest has named co-captains this season with Fiona Hayes and Chloe Pearse sharing the role. Ireland Women’s captain, Ciara Griffin, is named at openside flanker as Ireland Women and Munster stalwart, Niamh Briggs, starts at inside centre.

There are several new faces for last season’s champions, including full-back Enya Breen, and replacement Christine Coffey, who have come through the Munster Rugby Talent Identification Programme.

“Our primary goal is to retain the Interprovincial title, but that task gets more difficult each season,” said Guest. “There are no easy games at this level and for now every bit of our focus is on playing Connacht on Saturday at Irish Independent Park.”

The squad will get the defence of their Interpro title underway as part of a double-header with Munster U18 Girls, who play their Leinster equivalents at the same venue (kick-off 12:30pm). The senior game starts at 2:30pm.

Guest continued: “We hope there will be a big Munster crowd there on the day, who can enjoy the double-header of Munster U18s and ourselves.”

The Munster U18 Girls squad are defending their first U18 Interprovincial Series title, having recorded an unbeaten season last year. As part of the IRFU’s new feature, Senior and U18 matches will take place on the same day.

Munster U18 Girls will travel to the Sportsground to face Connacht U18 next Sunday, 9 September, before taking on Ulster U18 at MU Barnhall on Saturday 15 September.

Munster Women will travel to Portadown RFC on Saturday 9 September for a clash with Ulster before facing Leinster at Energia Park on Saturday 15 September.

Munster U18 Girls & Munster Women Double-Header, Saturday 1 September, Irish Independent Park from 12.30pm: €5 Adult, €3 OAP/Student, U18s go free.

Munster Team

Enya Breen (Bantry Bay RFC); Laura O’Mahony (UL Bohemian RFC), Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemian RFC), Niamh Briggs (UL Bohemian RFC), Laura Sheehan (UL Bohemian RFC); Rachel Allen-Connolly (UL Bohemian RFC), Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC); Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemian RFC), Kate Sheehan (UL Bohemian RFC), Fiona Reidy (UL Bohemian RFC); Roisin Ormond (Ballincollig RFC), Siobhan McCarthy (Railway Union RFC); Edel Murphy (UL Bohemian RFC), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemian RFC), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC).

Replacements

Orla Curtin (Shannon RFC), Andrea Stock (Bantry Bay RFC), Clodagh Cronin (Durham University RFC), Clodagh O’Halloran (UL Bohemian RFC), Sarah Quin (Richmond RFC), Christine Coffey (Thurles RFC), Ciara Scanlan (St Mary’s College RFC), Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC).