Ivana Kiripati
Ivana Kiripati is an Irish rugby union player who plays in the back row for Creggs RFC and Connacht, and represents Ireland at international level.
Early life and education
Kiripati was born in New Zealand and is of Samoan heritage. She was raised and educated in Athlone, and played her underage rugby with Buccaneers RFC.She earned a scholarship to American International College in Springfield, Massachusetts, and graduated in 2025, studying criminal justice and psychology.
Rugby is a family tradition: her parents Kolo and Mele both played, and Mele coached Kiripati during her time with Buccaneers.
Club and provincial career
After playing underage rugby with Buccaneers, Kiripati became registered with Creggs and progressed through Connacht’s age-grade pathway. She also featured for the Clovers in the Celtic Challenge.International career
Kiripati represented Ireland at under-20 level, including selection for the 2024 Six Nations Women’s Summer Series squad, where she was listed among the under-23 players available for selection.In May 2025, she was named in Ireland’s Rugby World Cup preparation squad. She made her senior debut against Scotland at Virgin Media Park, Cork, in August 2025. She won a second cap during the same warm-up window, against Canada.
Kiripati was named in Ireland’s squad for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup.