Ireland Women Name 36-Strong WXV Squad with Seven Uncapped Players as Five-Win Target Set
Ireland women's rugby head coach Scott Bemand has named a 36-player squad for the WXV Global Series and autumn Test window that includes seven uncapped players and reflects the growing depth of the women's game in Ireland, with the team setting an ambitious target of five wins across home fixtures against the USA and Japan and a two-Test tour of South Africa that will test their credentials against the world's best.
Background
The Ireland women's rugby team has been on an upward trajectory for several years, driven by the professionalisation of the women's game in Ireland and the investment made by the IRFU in the women's programme since 2021. The team's performances in the Six Nations have improved markedly, and the 2026 campaign — in which Ireland finished third — was widely regarded as a platform for further progress rather than a ceiling.
The WXV Global Series, which launched in 2023, has become the primary vehicle for the development of women's rugby outside the Six Nations and Rugby World Cup. The 2026 series marks the beginning of a new three-year cycle aligned with the qualification pathway for the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup, giving the autumn fixtures an added significance beyond their immediate competitive value. Ireland's performances in the WXV window will directly influence their seeding for the World Cup qualification process.
The Vodafone Women's Interprovincial Championship, which concluded in August, provided the primary selection pool for the WXV squad. The competition has grown significantly in quality and competitiveness in recent years, and the seven uncapped players named in the squad — forwards Jemima Adams Verling, Sophie Barrett, Beth Buttimer, and Kate Jordan, alongside backs Caitriona Finn, Lucia Linn, and Alana McInerney — are all products of the interprovincial system.
Key Developments
Bemand confirmed the squad on Monday, describing it as "the most competitive group we have assembled" and noting that the selection process had been particularly difficult given the number of players who had put their hands up during the interprovincial campaign. The seven uncapped players represent a significant injection of fresh talent into a squad that already includes experienced internationals such as Beibhinn Parsons, Eve Higgins, Dorothy Wall, and Neve Jones.
Ireland's WXV schedule begins on 20 September with a home fixture against the USA at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, followed by a home match against Japan at Dexcom Stadium in Galway on 27 September. The squad then travels to South Africa for two Tests in Cape Town on 24 and 31 October. Bemand has set a target of five wins across the five fixtures — a target that would represent a significant statement of intent ahead of the World Cup qualification process.
"Five wins is the target," Bemand said. "We know that's ambitious, but this group has the quality and the hunger to achieve it. The USA and Japan are both strong teams, and South Africa at home in Cape Town will be a serious test. But we believe in what we're building here, and we want to show that on the pitch."
Why It Matters
The growth of women's rugby in Ireland over the past five years has been one of the most positive developments in Irish sport. The combination of IRFU investment, the interprovincial competition, and the increasing visibility of the women's game — driven in part by the success of players like Beibhinn Parsons and Eve Higgins at club level in England and France — has created a virtuous cycle of talent development and public interest that is beginning to bear fruit at international level.
The inclusion of seven uncapped players in the WXV squad is a sign of that depth. In previous years, Ireland's women's squad was relatively thin, with a small core of experienced players carrying the team. The emergence of a new generation of talent — many of them products of the schools and club system that has been developed with IRFU support — suggests that the team's upward trajectory is sustainable rather than dependent on a small number of exceptional individuals.
The five-win target is ambitious but achievable. The USA and Japan are both ranked in the top ten in the world, and South Africa, while ranked lower, will be formidable opponents on home soil. A five-win campaign would represent Ireland's best-ever WXV performance and would significantly boost their World Cup qualification prospects.
Local Impact
The home fixtures against the USA and Japan will be played at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin and Dexcom Stadium in Galway respectively — venues that reflect the IRFU's commitment to taking women's rugby to different parts of the country. Tallaght Stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 10,000, is expected to sell out for the USA fixture, while the Galway match will be the first senior women's international played at Dexcom Stadium. Both fixtures will be broadcast live on RTÉ.
What's Next
Ireland's WXV campaign begins on 20 September against the USA at Tallaght Stadium, with kick-off at 19:00. Tickets for both home fixtures are available through the IRFU website. The squad will assemble for a training camp in Dublin this week before the first fixture. Bemand has indicated that he will name his starting XV for the USA match on Thursday.
