Wexford’s Katie Whelan has been called up to the Ireland rugby squad ahead of their final match in the WXV1 tournament against the United States, scheduled for Friday in Vancouver. Whelan, a scrum-half, joined the team on Sunday evening to provide cover for Katie Heffernan, who had to leave the camp due to an arm injury.
Katie joins Aoife Weafer from Gorey and Niamh O’Dowd from Ferns.
Ireland faced a challenging weekend, suffering a 21-8 defeat against hosts Canada in their second match of the WXV1 tournament. Despite a commendable effort, Ireland struggled to capitalize on their earlier success against New Zealand, where they achieved a surprising victory. In the match against Canada, Ireland fell behind early, with the Maple Leafs establishing a 21-3 lead by halftime. Eimear Considine scored Ireland’s only try in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide.With this loss, Ireland now prepares for their third and final WXV1 game against the USA on October 11. Head Coach Scott Bemand is expected to announce his matchday squad on Wednesday at 8:30 PM Irish Time.
- Match: Ireland vs. USA
- Date: Friday, October 11
- Time: 12:30 PM local time / 8:30 PM Irish time
- Broadcast: Live on RugbyPass TV
The WXV1 tournament features teams divided into three divisions, with Ireland competing in a highly competitive environment against some of the world’s top rugby nations. The format allows each team in Pool A to play against each team in Pool B once, with points awarded for wins and bonuses for scoring tries or losing by narrow margins.As Ireland looks to rebound from their recent defeat, Whelan’s inclusion in the squad adds depth and experience as they aim to finish the tournament on a high note against a formidable USA side.