SOME IRISH HAT-TRICKS come along at an early stage in a player’s career [see Brian O'Driscoll v France] while others crop up after years of international graft [John Aldridge v Turkey].
Alison Miller’s treble against England last Saturday falls somewhere in between.
The 28-year-old was a latecomer to rugby and is only in her fourth full season with the Irish set-up.
Miller played some college rugby while a student of W.I.T in her early 20s but it looked as if GAA would be her calling on the sports-field.
“I played year or two with Laois,” Miller told TheScore.ie. “I was actually a defender and didn’t show much of a scoring touch.”
Miller, who excelled at collegiate athletics, was 24 when she was encouraged to get back into rugby. She went for Leinster trials but, like males counterparts such as Dave McSharry and Sean Cronin, she got her chance with Connacht.
With the winger back studying at U.C.C, Ireland playing their home ties in Meath and playing three away games in the current Six Nations campaign, many miles will be clocked up before the title is handed out.
Following the away win over Wales and the 25-0 humbling of England, the Irish hope to be in the championship mix.
Miller races past England’s Francesca Matthews. (©INPHO/Dan Sheridan)
Belief
There were rapturous scenes at the final whistle in Ashbourne as the win over England was confirmed. An odd reaction for a team leading by 25 points?
“Not really,” Miller replies. “I played England last year and they pulled away in the final 20 minutes. We knew, even coming into the final 10, that they were capable of doing some damage to us.” She added:
It was great to actually achieve something that we had believed in beforehand.”
Miller agrees that the opening wins have pushed Ireland’s name into title discussions but insists her team will not lose focus.
She said, “We’e very focused on Scotland now. It was a very difficult game against them at home last. We know it will be equally tough over there.”
