His hand has been forced somewhat by injuries to Tanner Rosser, Eliza Downey, Shannon Houston and Alison Miller while Helen Brosnan, Kate O'Loughlin, Orla Brennan and Jo O'Sullivan have either retired or taken a break from the game.

Doyle will be hoping that Rosser makes a full recovery in time for the RBS 6 Nations as Ireland are desperately short of half-back cover.

He has been handed a boost however by the re-emergence of Lauren Day who has been out of action since the World Championship.

And the lack of experience in certain areas of the team is plugged by the continued presence of Ireland’s most capped player Lynne Cantwell alongside former captain Fiona Coghlan.

The back-room team sees the addition of Keith Murphy as Assistant Coach while Greg McWilliams will join the Management during the preparations for the Six Nations.

Ireland Women's Squad
Gillian Bourke (Munster/Bristol)
Niamh Briggs (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Lynne Cantwell (Exile/Richmond)
Emma Cleary (Connacht/ UL Bohemians)
Fiona Coghlan (Leinster/ UL Bohemians)
Amy Davis (Leinster/Blackrock)
Lauren Day (Ulster/Waterloo)
Ailis Egan (Leinster/Old Belvedere)
Orla Fitzsimons (Leinster/St Marys)
Siobhan Fleming (Munster/ Tralee RFC)
Laura Guest (Munster/Highfield RFC)
Ashling Hutchings (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Helen Jones (Munster/Highfield RFC)
Niamh Kavanagh (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Mairead Kelly (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Stacey Lee Kennedy (Ulster/City of Derry)
Emer McManamly (Leinster/Blackrock)
Claire Molloy (Connacht /Bristol)
Jean Moore (Connacht/Portlaoise)
Larissa Muldoon (Exile)
Joy Neville (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Gill Nolan (Leinster/St Marys)
Deirdre O'Brien (Leinster/Blackrock)
Heather O'Brien (Munster/ Highfield RFC)
Imogen Porter (Ulster/Cooke)
Clare Raftery (Connacht/Galwegians)
Geraldine Rea (Munster/ Highfield RFC)
Marie Louise Reilly (Leinster/Old Belvedere)
Michelle Ross (Leinster/St Marys)
Kate Sheehan (Munster/ UL Bohemians)
Jackie Shiels (Exile/Richmond)
Nora Stapleton (Leinster/Old Belvedere)
Carol Staunton (Connacht/Galwegians)
Ailish Toner (Munster)