Ireland's O'Dowd and Hogan sign for PWR clubs

Ireland internationals Niamh O'Dowd and Brittany Hogan have exited the Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU]'s central contract system for playing opportunities in England.

Prop O'Dowd has joined Ireland team-mates Sam Monaghan, Neve Jones and Ellena Perry at Premiership Women's Rugby champions Gloucester-Hartpury as injury cover for the rest of the season.

Back-row forward Hogan will move to Sale Sharks in January. O'Dowd and Hogan both featured for Ireland at the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, where Scott Bemand's side lost to France in the quarter-finals.

Ireland internationals Linda Djougang, Meabh Deely and Siobhan McCarthy have also left Ireland's women's high performance programme, but the IRFU says they remain "players of national interest".

Seven players have been awarded their first national contract, including forwards Ailish Quinn, Beth Buttimer, Ivana Kiripati, Jane Neill and Jemima Verling and backs Caitriona Finn and Chisom Ugwueru.

Quinn and Kiripati made their Test debuts during the World Cup warm-up games in August, while Kiripati and Buttimer were included in Bemand's tournament squad.

A total of 35 players have been awarded central deals.

Ireland's home-based players will compete in the cross-border Celtic Challenge competition between December and March before the national squad reassembles for the Women's Six Nations in April.

Ireland 2025-26 contracted players

Aoife Dalton

Ailish Quinn

Alana McInerney

Amee-Leigh Costigan

Amy Larn

Anna McGann

Aoibheann Reilly

Beibhinn Parsons

Beth Buttimer

Caitriona Finn

Chisom Ugwueru

Clare Gorman

Dannah O'Brien

Ellen Boylan

Emily Lane

Enya Breen

Erin King

Eve Higgins

Fiona Tuite

Hannah Clarke

Ivana Kiripati

Jane Neill

Jemima Adams Verling

Kate Farrell McCabe

Kathy Baker

Katie Whelan

Katie Corrigan

Lucia Linn

Lucinda Kinghan

Megan Burns

Robyn O'Connor

Ruth Campbell

Sadhbh McGrath

Stacey Flood

Vicky Elmes Kinlan