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Eagles eager to ‘challenge’ world’s best in WXV Global Series
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Scott Bemand names back-row debutant for Ireland’s WXV opener
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Jemima Adams Verling will make her Test debut in Ireland’s first WXV Global Series 2026 fixture of the autumn.
The Connacht forward will start alongside Ireland captain Erin King and two-time Guinness Women’s Six Nations Player of the Championship, Aoife Wafer, in the back-row.
The 20-year-old is the only uncapped player included in Scott Bemand’s match day squad for Sunday’s match at Dublin’s Tallaght Stadium.
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Adams Verling has progressed through Ireland’s age-grade ranks and impressed for both the Clovers in Celtic Challenge competition and Connacht in the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship. She has previously been named in extended Ireland squads.
Brittany Hogan, who was a mainstay of the back-row at this year’s Women’s Six Nations, is among the replacements.
Niamh O’Dowd has been named as starting loosehead prop. The starting slot was up for grabs after the retirement of Ellena Perry at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Sadhbh McGrath has been named among the replacements. O’Dowd joins Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Linda Djougang in the front-row.
Injuries mean that Sam Monaghan and Ruth Campbell are not available for selection. Instead, Dorothy Wall and Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan are named as the starting lock partnership. Jane O’Clohessy is on the bench.
In the backs, Emily Lane and Dannah O’Brien are the half-back partnership, Aoife Dalton and Eve Higgins combine in the midfield and the back three is comprised of Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Robyn O’Connor and Stacey Flood.
2026 WXV Global Series | Ireland match day squad v USA Women’s Eagles
15. Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(29)
14. Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(4)
13. Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(33)
12. Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)(37)
11. Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)(6)
10. Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(35)
9. Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)(25)
1. Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester Hartpury)(23)
2. Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs)(54)
3. Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(57)
4. Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs)(42)
5. Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster)(25)
6. Jemima Adams Verling (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)*
7. Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)(12)(captain)
8. Aoife Wafer (Harlequins)(21)
Replacements
16. Neve Jones (Gloucester Hartpury)(46)
17. Sadhbh McGrath (Cooke RFC/Ulster)(22)
18. Eilís Cahill (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(4)
19. Jane Clohessy (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)(1)
20. Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks)(43)
21. Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht)(19)
22. Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)(17)
23. Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby)(2)
*uncapped
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