Ireland women's national rugby league team

Not to be confused with Ireland women's national rugby union team.

Ireland
Team information
Governing bodyRugby League Ireland
RegionEurope
Head coachMatt Kennerson
CaptainAlex McGuinness
Top try-scorerAli Coleman 5
Top point-scorerStorm Cobain 22
(4 tries, 3 goals)
Home stadiumEnergia Park
IRL ranking 8 Decrease 1 (21 July 2025)[1]
Uniforms
First colours
Team results
First international
  26 – 24 Wales 
at Colwyn Bay, 17 October 2021
Biggest win
  30 – 6 Italy 
at Udine, 11 June 2022
Biggest defeat
  4 – 44 Wales 
at Dublin, 8 October 2022

The Ireland women's national rugby league team is organised by Rugby League Ireland and represents Ireland in international rugby league.

Ireland first fielded a women's Rugby League team in October 2021, winning their inaugural Test Match against Wales.

Head to head records

Opponent FM MR M W D L Win% PF PA Share
 Wales 2021 2024 3 1 0 2 33.33% 40 96 29.41%
 Italy 2022 2022 1 1 0 0 100.00% 30 6 83.33%
 Canada 2022 2022 1 1 0 0 100.00% 8 6 57.14%
 Netherlands 2024 2024 1 1 0 0 100.00% 16 12 57.14%
 Greece 2024 2024 1 1 0 0 100.00% 42 6 87.50%
 France 2025 2025 1 0 0 1 0.00% 4 34 10.53%
Totals 2021 2025 8 5 0 3 62.50% 140 160 46.67%

Notes:

  • Table last updated 13 July 2025.
  • Share is the portion of "For" points compared to the sum of "For" and "Against" points.

Coaches

The inaugural head coach of the Ireland women's national rugby league team was John Whalley.[2]

In January 2024, Rugby League Ireland announced the appointment of Matt Kennerson as the Head Coach.[3]

Players

The table below lists the squad named for the match against France on 12 July 2025. Orlaith McAuliffe was named captain.[4]

Tallies in the table include the match in July 2025.

J# Player Age Position(s) Club Profile Debut M T G P
1 Cliodhna O'Sullivan Fullback, Stand-off Dublin Exiles No 2024 4 0 0 0
2 Aimee Clarke Wing, Fullback Dublin Exiles No 2025 1 0 0 0
3 Anna Potterton Centre, Lock Dublin Exiles Yes 2024 2 0 0 0
4 Katie-Ann O'Neill Centre, Second-row Dublin Exiles Yes 2025 1 0 0 0
5 Holly O'Dwyer 22 Wing, Centre Galway Tribes Yes 2024 3 2 0 8
6 Emma Kelly Stand-off Dublin Exiles No 2025 1 0 0 0
7 Jade Walker Scrum-half, Stand-off  London Broncos No 2024 2 0 0 0
8 Orlaith McAuliffe Prop, Loose forward Dublin Exiles Yes 2022 3 0 0 0
9 Polly Roberts Hooker  London Broncos No 2024 2 0 0 0
10 Stacy Hanley 26 Prop, Second-row Galway Tribes Yes 2022 4 0 0 0
11 Aifric Ní Ghibne Second-row, Fullback Galway Tribes Yes 2025 1 0 0 0
12 Storm Cobain 23 Second-row, Loose forward  Leigh Leopards Yes 2021 8 4 8 32
13 Iona McCusker Loose forward  London Broncos No 2021 6 0 0 0
14 Megan Preston 26 Hooker, Centre  Huddersfield Giants Yes 2024 3 1 0 4
15 Molly Boyne 24 Second-row Dublin Exiles Yes 2025 1 0 0 0
16 Aine Rutley Second-row, Prop Dublin Exiles Yes 2024 2 0 0 0
17 Becky Webb 25 Second-row Widnes Vikings Yes 2025 1 0 0 0
18 Lena Kibler Scrum-half Dublin Exiles Yes — 0 0 0 0
19 Katie-Anne McCallion Hooker Banbridge Broncos Yes — 0 0 0 0

Results

Full internationals

Date Score[a] Opponent Tournament Venue Video Reports
17 Oct 2021 26–24  Wales Test Match Stadiwm ZipWorld, Colwyn Bay [5] [6][7]
11 Jun 2022 30–6  Italy European Championships B Pasian Di Pato Rugby Stadium, Udine [8] [9][10][11]
8 Oct 2022 4–44  Wales Energia Park, Dublin — [12][13]
25 Oct 2022 8–6  Canada Test Match Orrell St James Rugby League Club, Wigan — [14]
27 Apr 2024 10–28  Wales WC Qualifier (Euro Group A) Cardiff University Sports Fields [15] [16][17]
19 May 2024 16–12  Netherlands Energia Park, Dublin [18] [19]
12 Oct 2024 42–6  Greece WC Qualifier (Euro Playoff) Gkorytsa Stadium, Aspropygos, Athens [20] [21]
12 July 2025 4–34  France Test Match Garda RFC, Westmanstown Sports Centre, Dublin — [22]

Upcoming fixtures

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Ireland score given first

References

  1. ^ "IRL World Rankings: Women". International Rugby League. 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  2. ^ "Two Saints Women in Ireland Women's Train On Squad". saintsrlfc.com. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. ^ "RLI announce Women's Head Coach". Rugby League Ireland. 27 January 2024. Retrieved 29 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Ireland and France name squads for Women's Senior International". European Rugby League. 11 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  5. ^ "Highlights - Wales vs Ireland Women - Ireland's first-ever International Women's Rugby League Match". YouTube. 19 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  6. ^ Fletcher, Charlotte (18 October 2021). "Match Report: Wales Women v Ireland Women". Rugby League Ireland. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Wales 24 v 26 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 17 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  8. ^ "Italia League vs Irlanda League - Europeo 2022/highlights, mete ed interviste". YouTube. Delinquenzaovale. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Italy 6 v 30 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Rugby League: Troppa Irlanda Per L'Italia League Femminile". Non Professional Rugby. 11 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  11. ^ "Women take win against Italy". Rugby League Ireland. 14 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Match Report - Ireland 4 v 44 Wales". Wales Rugby League. 8 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  13. ^ "Ireland 4 v 44 Wales - Match Report". European Rugby League. 9 October 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Canada 6 v 8 Ireland - Match report". European Rugby League. 26 October 2022. Retrieved 26 October 2022.
  15. ^ "Cymru v Ireland Highlights". facebook. Welsh Rugby League - Rygbi Cynghrair Cymru. 29 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
  16. ^ Golden, Ian (27 April 2024). "Merched – Wales 28 Ireland 10". Wales Rugby League. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  17. ^ "Wales 28 v 10 Ireland - Match report". European Rugby League. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  18. ^ "Ireland v The Netherlands Women's World Cup Qualifier". YouTube. Steve Hogan. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  19. ^ "Ireland 16 v 12 Netherlands - Match report". European Rugby League. 19 May 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  20. ^ "Greece vs Ireland, Rugby League World Cup Qualifier". YouTube. Greek Rugby League Federation. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Greece 6 v 42 Ireland - Match Report". European Rugby League. 12 October 2024. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Ireland 4 v 34 France - Match Report". European Rugby League. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
  23. ^ "Canada to host historic IRL Women's World Series". International Rugby League. 20 March 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  24. ^ Walter, Brad (21 March 2025). "Unfinished business: Bulikula set for World Series in Canada". NRL. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
  25. ^ "IRL Women's World Series 2025: Venue and kick-off times confirmed". International Rugby League. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 13 July 2025.
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