The Irish Rugby Football Union has confirmed it will ban transgender women from competing in female contact rugby games after a review of the governing body’s transgender policy.
It means contact rugby for players in the female category will be limited to those whose sex was recorded as female at birth.
The IRFU’s new policy will come into effect from the forthcoming season.
It said the decision was based on “medical and scientific evidence”.
In a statement, the IRFU said: “The IRFU is keenly aware that this is a sensitive and challenging area for those involved and the wider LGBT+ community and will continue to work with those impacted, providing support to ensure their ongoing involvement with the game.
The decision follows a similar move by the Rugby Football Union (RFU), which voted to pass its new policy in July.