McQuade earns senior Irish call-up for Six Nations

Rugby

Cavan rugby star Amanda McQuade’s outstanding performances in the All-Ireland League have been recognised with a historic call-up to the Irish women’s squad for the Six Nations.

McQuade is one of nine uncapped players in Head Coach Greg McWilliams’ 38-player squad for the upcoming TikTok Women’s Six Nations, preparations for which got underway with a first National Team camp at the IRFU High Performance Centre at the weekend weekend.

Ireland open their Six Nations campaign against Wales, before travelling to France in Round 2 on Saturday, 2 April. McWilliams’ side will play their second home game against Italy at Musgrave Park in Cork on Sunday, April 10 (KO 5pm).

The penultimate weekend sees Ireland travel to face England on Sunday, 24 April, before their final home match, against Scotland, is staged at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast on Saturday, 30 April (KO 8pm).

The Killinkere star began playing rugby as an eight-year-old with Virginia RFC. She started as a scrum-half but moved to first centre and then the fowards and has made rapid progress since being capped at U18 level by Ireland in Sevens rugby a couple of years ago.

A student in Athlone IT, she was snapped up by Railway Union and helped them to claim the AIL title recrently with a thrilling 24-18 win over Blackrock College in a match televised by TG4.

Speaking to the Anglo-Celt in 2019, Amanda said: “My ambition in rugby? It would be nice when I come out of the underage that I get a tap on the shoulder maybe for the 15s women.”

That dream has now come true.