Monaghan ruled out of Australia Test & WXV campaign

Monaghan injured her knee playing for Gloucester-Hartpury in June

Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan has been ruled out of the upcoming Test against Australia in September and October's WXV1 campaign.

Second row Monaghan's involvement was put in doubt earlier this summer when her club Gloucester-Hartpury said she had suffered a "significant knee injury" during the Premiership Women's Rugby final on 22 June.

Monaghan joins a length injury list for Ireland head coach Scott Bemand, which already includes Beibhinn Parsons, Aoibheann Reilly, Natasja Behan, Katie Corrigan and Sadhbh McGrath.

Bemand is boosted, however, by the return of Olympians Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, all of whom featured in Ireland's sevens campaign at the recent Paris Games.

Forward Erin King, another Sevens international, is one of 10 uncapped players in Bemand's 35-strong panel.

Ulster prop Sophie Barrett receives her first senior call-up after impressing for the Under-20s, with Ruth Campbell, Siobhan McCarthy and Andrea Stock the other uncapped forwards.

In the backs, Robyn O'Connor and Chisom Ugwueru step up from the Under-20s while Katie Heffernan, Katie Whelan and Alana McInerney - who has starred for Munster in this summer's Women's Interpros - are also pushing for their first senior caps.

Ireland face Australia at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on 14 September. Bemand will then trim his squad to 30 players before travelling to Vancouver for their WXV1 campaign in which they will face New Zealand (30 September), Canada (5 October) and the USA (11 October).

Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe is one of five Irish sevens Olympians in the 35-player squad

"The selection of 10 uncapped players is testament to the increased player resource pool we are developing and we feel we have the right mix of youth and Test experience to equip us for the challenges ahead," said Bemand.

"We look forward to assembling together as a group at the IRFU High Performance Centre on Monday, laying the ground work for an important block of matches ahead and narrowing the focus on performance, starting with our return to Kingspan Stadium in Belfast.

"We're excited to take a closer look at all players in training over the next two weeks and this lead in period presents the entire playing group with the opportunity to put their hand up for selection and compete their way into a green jersey for the first match of the season and beyond into WXV1."

Ireland squad

Forwards: Sophie Barrett (Ulster), Ruth Campbell (Leinster), Sarah Delaney (Leinster), Linda Djougang (Leinster), Christy Haney (Leinster), Brittany Hogan (Ulster), Shannon Ikahihifo (IQ Rugby), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Erin King (Old Belvedere), Siobhan McCarthy (Munster), Edel McMahon (Connacht), Cliodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), Grace Moore (IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Munster), Niamh O'Dowd (Leinster), Andrea Stock (IQ Rugby), Fiona Tuite (Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Munster).

Backs: Enya Breen (Munster), Aoife Dalton (Leinster), Meabh Deely (Connacht), Stacey Flood (Railway Union), Nicole Fowley (Connacht), Katie Heffernan (Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union), Emily Lane (Blackrock College), Anna McGann (Railway Union), Alana McInerney (Munster), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Munster), Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), Robyn O’Connor (Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster), Chisom Ugwueru (Munster), Katie Whelan (Leinster).

Training panellists: Claire Boles (Ulster), Hannah Clarke (Connacht), Jane Clohessy (Munster), Caitrona Finn (Munster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow), Faith Oviawe (Connacht).