BÉIBHINN PARSONS PICKS her spot in an empty Aviva Stadium stand and sits down to look ahead to Sunday’s Six Nations meeting with Scotland.
She surveys her surrounds, it’s interesting to note the only vantage points she’s not familiar with are the ones provided from being on the pitch.
“I feel like I’ve sat in every segment there is,” Parsons explains.
“I’ve been here so many times supporting the lads. It’s just phenomenal being sat here now, it’s empty, but I can already envisage all the fans and everyone being here. I can’t wait.
Honestly, it’s one of those things that is beyond your wildest dreams, you don’t even entertain it nearly.”
At the time of writing, ticket sales had passed the 28,000 mark as Ireland prepare to play in front of a record crowd for a home women’s rugby international.
An Olympian in 2024, Parsons is no stranger to lining out in front of large crowds. Last year’s World Cup is fresh in the memory, with 30,000 in attendance for the pool game against New Zealand in Brighton, while Ireland already smashed an attendance record by playing in front of 9,206 against Italy in Galway last month, after opening their campaign in front of a Six Nations record 77,000 in Twickenham.
The Galway woman feels the bigger the occasion, the more she gets out of herself.
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“Yeah, I definitely think so. Sometimes a big stadium can magnify your performance, and it can either make you feel 10 feet tall or make you feel 10 inches tall.
Parsons has four tries in this year's Six Nations. Nick Elliott / INPHO
Nick Elliott / INPHO / INPHO
“But I think it’s harnessing the energy in the stadium. And I think at Dexcom, obviously, it’s smaller but the atmosphere was amazing. And I really feed off that. I love a crowd, and I love the energy that all of our fan base brings. So I just can’t wait to see what Sunday will bring.”
Not every athlete finds it easy to embrace the occasion without losing any of their focus.
“For me, it’s all about feeling grounded and feeling engaged in that moment. I think one thing that an occasion can do is it can make a mistake feel 10 times bigger, whereas it’s not.
“Our coach, Gareth Steenson, showed us this video of a tennis player and it was just 54% of points, that’s all you have to do to win. So he was like, it’s just the next point, just get on to the next point.
“And I think that helped me as well, just knowing that, yeah, not every moment has to be perfect, and there is only really one stat that matters, and that’s the scoreboard. So for me, those big occasions are about keeping engaged in every moment and, as much as you can, staying big and staying out of your shell and not going into it.”
The Ireland women have played at Aviva Stadium just once before, all the way back in 2014, taking to the pitch after most of the crowd had left following Brian O’Driscoll’s final home game in an Irish jersey.
Parsons was just 12 years old at the time, and only taking her first steps into the sport. All these years later, is one of the key players in an Irish side who have come through so hard years and are finally tracking in the right direction again.
Still only 24, having debuted for Ireland at just 16, the winger has four tries to her name in this year’s championship, scoring a hat-trick against Italy before some wonderful play from Aoife Wafer handed her “probably the easiest try I’ve scored in a green jersey” against Wales last time out.
The winger is a key player in Scott Bemand's squad. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
Victory on Sunday would mark Ireland’s first time to win three matches in the Six Nations since 2020. To do that, they’ll need to topple a Scotland side who came out on top 26-19 when they met in last year’s final round.
“Scotland have pipped us in pivotal games before and we don’t forget those moments,” Parsons says.
“But also this squad, even though it’s not new, it feels like there’s a new energy building. And we are really focused on ourselves and what we can bring. And if we want to be a top World Cup contender, these games are going to be about us and showcasing what we can do and implementing our game plan as much as possible, and less of a focus on Scotland and what they’re bringing.”
Scotland also beat Ireland in last year’s World Cup warm-up games, and there’s been a growing edge between the sides over recent seasons. It’s not lost on Parsons that those rivalries help grow the interest around the women’s game.
“Yeah, and they’re building now. With France, we have a new Solidarity Cup. It definitely adds a different energy to the game, and we feel it as players.
“And sometimes the media love to get a story and run with it, but sometimes it does transfer onto the pitch and you feel that edge. So, yeah, bring it on.”
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Parsons ready to embrace another record-breaking day for Ireland
BÉIBHINN PARSONS PICKS her spot in an empty Aviva Stadium stand and sits down to look ahead to Sunday’s Six Nations meeting with Scotland.
She surveys her surrounds, it’s interesting to note the only vantage points she’s not familiar with are the ones provided from being on the pitch.
“I feel like I’ve sat in every segment there is,” Parsons explains.
“I’ve been here so many times supporting the lads. It’s just phenomenal being sat here now, it’s empty, but I can already envisage all the fans and everyone being here. I can’t wait.
At the time of writing, ticket sales had passed the 28,000 mark as Ireland prepare to play in front of a record crowd for a home women’s rugby international.
An Olympian in 2024, Parsons is no stranger to lining out in front of large crowds. Last year’s World Cup is fresh in the memory, with 30,000 in attendance for the pool game against New Zealand in Brighton, while Ireland already smashed an attendance record by playing in front of 9,206 against Italy in Galway last month, after opening their campaign in front of a Six Nations record 77,000 in Twickenham.
The Galway woman feels the bigger the occasion, the more she gets out of herself.
“Yeah, I definitely think so. Sometimes a big stadium can magnify your performance, and it can either make you feel 10 feet tall or make you feel 10 inches tall.
“But I think it’s harnessing the energy in the stadium. And I think at Dexcom, obviously, it’s smaller but the atmosphere was amazing. And I really feed off that. I love a crowd, and I love the energy that all of our fan base brings. So I just can’t wait to see what Sunday will bring.”
Not every athlete finds it easy to embrace the occasion without losing any of their focus.
“For me, it’s all about feeling grounded and feeling engaged in that moment. I think one thing that an occasion can do is it can make a mistake feel 10 times bigger, whereas it’s not.
“Our coach, Gareth Steenson, showed us this video of a tennis player and it was just 54% of points, that’s all you have to do to win. So he was like, it’s just the next point, just get on to the next point.
“And I think that helped me as well, just knowing that, yeah, not every moment has to be perfect, and there is only really one stat that matters, and that’s the scoreboard. So for me, those big occasions are about keeping engaged in every moment and, as much as you can, staying big and staying out of your shell and not going into it.”
The Ireland women have played at Aviva Stadium just once before, all the way back in 2014, taking to the pitch after most of the crowd had left following Brian O’Driscoll’s final home game in an Irish jersey.
Parsons was just 12 years old at the time, and only taking her first steps into the sport. All these years later, is one of the key players in an Irish side who have come through so hard years and are finally tracking in the right direction again.
Still only 24, having debuted for Ireland at just 16, the winger has four tries to her name in this year’s championship, scoring a hat-trick against Italy before some wonderful play from Aoife Wafer handed her “probably the easiest try I’ve scored in a green jersey” against Wales last time out.
Victory on Sunday would mark Ireland’s first time to win three matches in the Six Nations since 2020. To do that, they’ll need to topple a Scotland side who came out on top 26-19 when they met in last year’s final round.
“Scotland have pipped us in pivotal games before and we don’t forget those moments,” Parsons says.
“But also this squad, even though it’s not new, it feels like there’s a new energy building. And we are really focused on ourselves and what we can bring. And if we want to be a top World Cup contender, these games are going to be about us and showcasing what we can do and implementing our game plan as much as possible, and less of a focus on Scotland and what they’re bringing.”
Scotland also beat Ireland in last year’s World Cup warm-up games, and there’s been a growing edge between the sides over recent seasons. It’s not lost on Parsons that those rivalries help grow the interest around the women’s game.
“Yeah, and they’re building now. With France, we have a new Solidarity Cup. It definitely adds a different energy to the game, and we feel it as players.
“And sometimes the media love to get a story and run with it, but sometimes it does transfer onto the pitch and you feel that edge. So, yeah, bring it on.”
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Beibhinn Parsons ireland womens rugby Milestone Rugby Women's Six Nations