Ireland Women’s Six Nations Squad Announced by Scott Bemand
Scott Bemand has named his 36-player squad for the 2026 Guinness Women’s Six Nations, with the tournament kicking off on Saturday, April 11th, as Ireland travels to London to face England at Twickenham Stadium (kick-off 2.45pm) . The squad includes nine uncapped players, while captain Erin King returns to lead the team after missing the 2025 Rugby World Cup due to injury .
Several key players will be absent from the squad. Amee-Leigh Costigan is unavailable due to pregnancy, as she is expecting twins, and Edel McMahon is sidelined with a knee injury . However, Aoife Wafer is included after overcoming an injury-hit 2025 season and regaining form with Harlequins.
Ireland Women’s Six Nations Squad 2026
Forwards
- 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/Connaught)
- Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster)
- Aoife Wafer (Harlequins/Leinster)
- Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster)
Backs
- Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian/Munster)
- Anna McGann (Railway Union/Connacht)
- Aoifeann Reilly (Blackrock College/Connaught)
- 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)
Following a three-day connection camp in January, Head Coach Scott Bemand expressed his excitement for the championship. “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,” Bemand told BBC NI .
Ireland will host Italy at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on April 18th, marking the first Women’s Six Nations match to be held in the city. They will then travel to France on April 25th before concluding the tournament with home games against Wales in Belfast on May 9th and Scotland in Dublin on May 17th at the Aviva Stadium .