Meath women for rugby World Cup
Four Meath players Orla Brennan, Marie Louise Reilly, Sinead Ryan and Jackie Shiels will be in action for Ireland when the Women's Rugby World Cup kicks-off in England on Friday. Three of the Meath girls play outside the county with Reilly the only player from the Navan RFC. The Summerhill girl, who features in the second row for both Navan and Leinster, made her first international appearance against Italy earlier this year and has five caps. She is joined in the forwards by former Navan player Brennan who is one of Ireland's most experienced campaigners with 41 caps. Brennan now plays with Blackrock along with another former Navan player Sinead Ryan who will also add considerable talent to the forwards, especially in the flanker position. Former Simonstown and Meath Gaelic footballer Shiels, who now resides and works in London, plays with the highly-regarded Richmond club at either centre or full-back and also represents Leinster. Shiels is the only Meath representative in the backs, but as a relative latecomer to the international rugby scene she has made a huge impact for her club and province and has one cap, so far. The 26-strong squad contains a number of seasoned internationals alongside some newer faces who have emerged this season. Fiona Coghlan, of recently-crowned Women's All-Ireland League and Cup Champions UL Bohemians, will again captain the side as she did during the Six Nations Championship where Ireland finished third for the second year in-a-row after winning three of their five games. The squad has been boosted by the return of experienced back Lynne Cantwell after a spell living in New Zealand. She is joined in the backs by Tania Rosser and Shannon Houston as well as the emerging Nora Stapleton, another debutante against Italy this year. Ireland will open their campaign with a tough encounter against host country and one of the pre-tournament favourites England. The game will be televised live on Sky Sports on Friday, 6.30. Ireland then play former winners and three-time finalists USA on Tuesday 24th August at 4.30. The final pool game will be against Kazakhstan four days later on Saturday 28th August, 4.30. All the pool games are set to be played in the Surrey Sports Camp which will serve as the Rugby World Cup village for all participating teams. Ireland - Louise Austin (UL Bohemian/Munster), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemian/Munster), Orla Brennan (Blackrock/Leinster), Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemian/Leinster), Chris Fanning (Highfield/Munster), Lauren Day (Cooke/Ulster), Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemian/Leinster), Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht), Joy Neville (UL Bohemian/Munster), Yvonne Nolan (Blackrock/Leinster), Kate O'Loughlin (Clonmel/Munster), Marie Louise Reilly (Navan/Leinster), Sinead Ryan (Blackrock/Leinster), Carol Staunton (Galwegians/Connacht); Louise Beamish (UL Bohemian/Munster), Niamh Briggs (Clonmel/Munster), Helen Brosnan (Highfield/Munster), Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemian), Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster), Eliza Downey (Cooke/Ulster), Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster), Mairead Kelly (UL Bohemian/Munster), Joanne O'Sullivan (Richmond/Exile), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster), Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Leinster), Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster).