Achilles injury rules Ireland lock Sam Monaghan out of entire WXV Global Series

Former Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan will play no part in Ireland’s WXV Global Series campaign after being ruled out with an Achilles injury, head coach Scott Bemand confirmed. The 33-year-old second row will miss all three fixtures: home Tests against the USA Women’s Eagles and Japan, and a tour match against the Springbok Women in Cape Town.

The blow is a particularly cruel one for Monaghan, who only recently returned from an ACL injury to feature at Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025. She will remain in camp in a support role, attending meetings and training sessions to pass on her experience to the group.

“Sam has been really unlucky,” Bemand said. “She picked up an Achilles injury, so that will be this competition out for her. She is still in and around the squad, which is brilliant. She’s still goading the girls on and still in meetings, so she’s still getting a rugby fix. But yeah, rugby being rugby, sometimes it throws you one of these. But in terms of how it leaves the squad, there’s opportunities.”

Ireland are also monitoring Ruth Campbell, who sustained an ankle injury in Leinster’s Women’s Interprovincial Championship final defeat to Munster. Bemand expressed cautious optimism that Campbell could return during the series. “The facilities we’ve got here, the people we’ve got looking after her, we’re really hopeful we can get Ruth back in this series,” he said.

To bolster preparations ahead of Sunday’s opener against the USA at Tallaght Stadium, uncapped pair Alma Atagamen and Olivia McKinley were called into camp last week. With Monaghan and Campbell unavailable, Dorothy Wall and Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan are expected to form the second-row partnership, while injuries elsewhere could open the door for Jane Clohessy and Kate Jordan to earn places in the matchday 23.

Ireland cannot improve their World Rugby ranking position this weekend, though the USA have the opportunity to climb two places with a victory.