Ireland  Women

The Ireland women’s rugby team is an elite international side. Known for their talent and determination, Ireland have won two titles at the Six Nations (2013 and 2015) and they finished fourth at the Rugby World Cup in 2014. 

Want to learn more about the Ireland women’s rugby team? Dive into the team’s history, their greatest RWC performances and their best players right here at RugbyPass.

Ireland Women’s at the Rugby World Cup

After missing out on the inaugural tournament, Ireland qualified for their first Rugby World Cup in 1994. They have participated in almost every tournament since, with results that range from 14th (2002) to fourth (2014).

The Ireland women’s rugby team got off to a good start in 1994. Their debut ended in seventh place and included two victories: 18-5 against Scottish Students in the pool stage and 11-3 against Japan in the seventh-place play-off. 

Ireland’s best finish at the RWC to-date came in 2014. Here, they triumphed in all three of their Pool B fixtures, beating the United States (23-17), New Zealand (17-14) and Kazakhstan (40-5). As a result, they were seeded second going into the play-offs. 

Sadly, their run came to an end during the semi-finals. They lost 40-7 to the tournament’s champions, England. They produced a similar result against France in the third-place play-off. Ireland lost the match 25-18 and finished in fourth place.

After failing to qualify for the 2021 Rugby World Cup, Ireland will return to the world stage in 2025. They secured their place at the 2025 RWC by finishing third in the 2024 Six Nations.

History of the Ireland Women’s Rugby Team

The Ireland women’s rugby team played their first test in 1993: a 10-0 loss against Scotland. This match took place early in the team’s history, just two years after the Irish Women’s Rugby Football Union was formed.

One year later, in 1994, Ireland played their first international on home soil. This was a rematch against Scotland and it ended in another loss for the Irish side. This time the defeat was halved to 5-0. 

In the same year, Ireland debuted at the second Rugby World Cup tournament. Their best performance came exactly 10 years later, when they achieved a fourth-place finish at the 2014 RWC. 

This was a successful period for the Ireland women’s team. In addition to their RWC triumph, they also claimed their first and only Grand Slam. They beat all five of their opponents in the 2013 Six Nations and celebrated their first Championship title. Two years later, they won their second tournament. 

Since, Ireland have failed to replicate these successes and they failed to qualify for the 2021 RWC entirely. However, they’re always a threat on the big stage. 

Ireland Women’s Rugby Squad

The Ireland women’s rugby squad has boasted several award-winning players over the years. Two players were nominated for World Rugby Women’s 15s Player of the Year: Niamh Briggs in 2014 and Sophie Spence in 2015. More recently, Aoife Wafer was nominated as the 2024 Six Nations Player of the Championship. 

The current lineup features regulars at the United Rugby Championship. This includes Linda Djougang, captain Edel McMahon and Dorothy Wall.