Great Britain Name Touring teams for British & Irish Cup
Great Britain coaches have named their squads for the annual British & Irish Cup which takes place in Dublin on the weekend of 1st-2nd August 2026.
After attending three programme-wide, two-day training camps and a series of additional training sessions since March, the coaches made the selections ahead of the Ireland challenge and test matches. Coaches have chosen 20-player squads and up to four non-travelling reserves who can be called upon in the event of injury or unexpected player availability. The under 22s have been granted permission to travel with all 23 players available.
Of the players named, 45 are set to make their debuts for Great Britain, representing 14 of the 16 UK Tag Nationals regions.
Great Britain Programme Director Gregg Cropper said: “Selection at this level is never straightforward, and this year’s process has been the most competitive we’ve seen. Our coaches have had to make some incredibly tough calls, and they approached every discussion with the professionalism, care and integrity our athletes deserve.
“What has stood out throughout this campaign is the commitment shown by every player. With the new selection model and camp structure, our squads have had the opportunity to be assessed across six full days of training, with inter and intra squad games and preparation. That depth of visibility has raised standards across the board, and the athletes have responded with outstanding effort, attitude and connection.
“For those selected into the Touring Teams, it’s a moment to be proud of, but also a responsibility to build on the foundations laid by every player who has contributed to this programme since March, along with those who came before them. And for those who narrowly missed out, their impact on the group has been significant. They have pushed standards, strengthened our culture and left the shirt in a better place.
“As we head to Dublin, we do so as a programme that is stronger, more aligned and more competitive than ever. The work done over the last few months has set us up for a brilliant British & Irish Cup, and we’re excited for what this group can achieve.”
The squads will be travelling to Dublin hoping to make it four British & Irish Cup wins in a row having triumphed in the previous three competitions.
British & Irish Cup format changes for 2026
The format for the British & Irish Cup has evolved to provide better preparation for both nations heading into a World Cup later this year.
All teams will play two games each day.
• Day one will be a challenge/warmup game and the first test match.
• Day two is two test matches.
• The winner of each category will be decided by the number of test match wins.
• The final test match game of each category will go to drop off, if the series is a draw going into that game.
The Overall B&I Cup winner will be decided by the following:
1. Most categories won.
2. Most test match wins across all categories.
3. Aggregate test match tries differential across all categories.
4. Aggregate test match tries scored.
About the British & Irish Cup
Since 2013 Great Britain has competed against Ireland annually in the British & Irish Cup. The British & Irish Cup is the highest-level Tag competition in the northern hemisphere.
Great Britain and Ireland take turns hosting the tournament.
Great Britain won the British & Irish Cup for the first time in 2019 and again in 2023. In 2024 Great Britain retained the title for the first time along with their first series win in Ireland. Continued success followed in 2025 with Great Britain getting the three-peat.
Tag World Cup Teams
Coaches will name their Tag World Cup 2026 teams in the coming weeks.
