Sheehan named in Ireland squad

Exeter Chiefs winger Laura Sheehan has been named in the Ireland Women's squad for the upcoming Six Nations Championship. Picture: JMP Sport

By Harry Scott-Munro
26/3/21

Exeter Chiefs Women's winger Laura Sheehan has been named in Adam Griggs’ Ireland squad for this year’s Six Nations Championship.

A call-up to her national side caps a superb week for Sheehan, who will start her first game for the Chiefs tomorrow against Loughborough Lightning at Sandy Park (3pm).

Sheehan has won four caps for her country thus far, since making a try-scoring debut against the USA in 2018, most recently against Italy in her country’s rearranged 2020 Six Nations encounter in October.

Griggs has included five uncapped players in his squad, although all of whom have experience representing Ireland on the 7s circuit. Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Grace Moore and Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe have been part of the training squad since the conclusion of the Championship back in October and will be looking to make their mark at 15s. The squad will be captained by Ciara Griffin.

Despite being a largely Irish-based squad, there are still six players from the Allianz Premier 15s named in the extended squad.

Ireland will be without a number of seasoned internationals for this year’s competition, with Ireland Ciara Cooney, Edel McMahon and Grand Slam winner Larissa Muldoon all unavailable due to injury.

Looking ahead to the tournament, Griggs said: “It means a huge amount to us to have test rugby on the horizon. This group have been working very closely together over the past number of months and the Six Nations was always going to be a priority for us.

This year’s tournament has been split into two conferences, with Ireland drawn in Pool B alongside France and Wales, meaning that there is the potential for Sheehan to line up against her club team-mates Abbie Fleming and Niamh Terry.

Ireland begin their campaign away against Wales on April 10, before hosting the French a week later. They will then play a placing final on April 24 with their opponent to be confirmed after the first two matches.

Ireland Women’s Six Nations Championship squad 2021

Backs:

Enya Breen (UL Bohemian/ Munster) 4

Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian/ Munster) 15

Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/ Ulster) 10

Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/ IQ Rugby) 12

Aoife Doyle (Railway Union/ Munster) 6

Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock College/ Leinster) 13

Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster) *

Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster) *

Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union/ Leinster) 12

Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster) *