AFTER THE THRILLS of Vancouver last autumn, Ireland look to pick up where they left off when their Women’s Six Nations campaign kicks off on Saturday afternoon with the visit of France to Belfast.
Last October, Scott Bemand’s side secured second place in WXV1 thanks to their stunning wins over New Zealand and the USA. They had already beaten Australia in their warm-up Test before leaving for Canada. Ireland had smiles on their faces as they played good rugby.
A month later, Erin King was named World Rugby women’s breakthrough player of the year, while her fellow back row Aoife Wafer made it into World Rugby’s dream team for 2024.
Those individual honours capped a brilliant couple of months collectively for Ireland as they shot up to sixth in the official world rankings.
While their exploits surprised many of the rugby world, Ireland themselves had felt those performances were coming. They won two games in the 2024 Six Nations to finish third and qualify for this year’s Rugby World Cup, a crucial milestone given that Ireland weren’t at the last tournament in 2021.
With a strong, experienced coaching team developing around Bemand and a crop of exciting young players beginning to feel more confident at international level, Ireland sensed they could make their mark at WXV1.
And so they did as their outstanding defence was matched by some smart kicking and ruthless finishing from close range. Their lineout and maul were much improved too. The introduction of a group of Ireland 7s internationals who had played in the Olympics also added some cutting edge for WXV1.
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Stacey Flood impressed back in the autumn. Travis Prior / INPHO
Travis Prior / INPHO / INPHO
All of those things mean the vibes around Ireland are strong as they approach this Six Nations, another key stepping stone towards the World Cup in England in August and September.
The World Cup is undoubtedly the big project of this year for everyone involved and this Six Nations campaign must be seen in that light, yet the aim for Ireland is to keep their upward trajectory going.
They’ll be keen to build on the defensive, kicking, and set-piece improvements that were on display back in the autumn. The next layer is probably adding more variety to their attack. This is head coach Bemand’s area of speciality so it will be interesting to see how he looks to evolve his team.
There’s no doubt he has exciting talent to work with. The 7s flyers like Amee-Leigh Costigan, Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood, and Emile Lane are threats in the backs, while young out-half Dannah O’Brien continues to grow as a force. Eimear Considine has retired but speedster Béibhinn Parsons is due to return from a broken leg at some stage in this championship.
Wafer is already one of the leading back rows in the game, King showed her all-round class at WXV1, while tight five forwards such as chop-tackling specialist Niamh O’Dowd and the relentless Linda Djougnang allow others to grab the headlines.
Talismanic second row and co-captain Sam Monaghan will be missed again as she continues her recovery from a long-term knee injury, so the leadership of the teak-tough Edel McMahon and others will be important in what is still a young squad.
Bemand named eight uncapped players in his wider group, including Jane Clohessy – the daughter of former Munster and Ireland prop Peter – and exciting lock Alma Atagamen, who was playing in the U18 Six Nations this time last year and is one of a few players who have impressed in the Celtic Challenge competition this season.
With the women’s national talent squad [WNTS] helping to accelerate the development of this new wave of young Irish talent, Bemand’s senior side will continue to benefit.
Ireland back row Aoife Wafer is a key player. Travis Prior / INPHO
Travis Prior / INPHO / INPHO
Right now, they look towards the challenge of hosting France. Ireland gave the French a better game than most expected on this weekend last year when they lost 38-17 in Le Mans, where late tries from Wafer and incisive centre Aoife Dalton were deserved reward for the Irish effort.
France went on to finish second in the Six Nations with England clearly the best side and deserved Grand Slam winners. The French then lost to hosts Canada and New Zealand at WXV1, meaning it was an unsatisfactory year.
However, their talent and athleticism remain imposing and Ireland will have to produce another outstanding performance at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, where Bemand’s side pipped Scotland on the last day of the 2024 championship.
As well as living up to suddenly elevated expectations, the challenge for Ireland in this Six Nations will be playing Italy, Wales, and Scotland away from home this time as the two strongest sides, France and England, visit Irish soil.
Yet there are many reasons to be optimistic as Ireland look to build more momentum on their drive towards the World Cup.
Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures:
Ireland v France - Saturday, 22 March in Kingspan Stadium, Belfast [1pm, Virgin Media]
Italy v Ireland – Sunday, 30 March in Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma [3pm, Virgin Media]
Ireland v England - Saturday, 12 April in Virgin Media Park, Cork [4.45pm, RTÉ]
Wales v Ireland - Sunday, 20 April in Rodney Parade, Newport [3pm, RTÉ]
Scotland v Ireland - Saturday, 26 April in Hive Stadium, Edinburgh [2.30pm, Virgin Media]
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With the World Cup looming, this is a crucial Six Nations for Ireland
AFTER THE THRILLS of Vancouver last autumn, Ireland look to pick up where they left off when their Women’s Six Nations campaign kicks off on Saturday afternoon with the visit of France to Belfast.
Last October, Scott Bemand’s side secured second place in WXV1 thanks to their stunning wins over New Zealand and the USA. They had already beaten Australia in their warm-up Test before leaving for Canada. Ireland had smiles on their faces as they played good rugby.
A month later, Erin King was named World Rugby women’s breakthrough player of the year, while her fellow back row Aoife Wafer made it into World Rugby’s dream team for 2024.
Those individual honours capped a brilliant couple of months collectively for Ireland as they shot up to sixth in the official world rankings.
While their exploits surprised many of the rugby world, Ireland themselves had felt those performances were coming. They won two games in the 2024 Six Nations to finish third and qualify for this year’s Rugby World Cup, a crucial milestone given that Ireland weren’t at the last tournament in 2021.
With a strong, experienced coaching team developing around Bemand and a crop of exciting young players beginning to feel more confident at international level, Ireland sensed they could make their mark at WXV1.
And so they did as their outstanding defence was matched by some smart kicking and ruthless finishing from close range. Their lineout and maul were much improved too. The introduction of a group of Ireland 7s internationals who had played in the Olympics also added some cutting edge for WXV1.
All of those things mean the vibes around Ireland are strong as they approach this Six Nations, another key stepping stone towards the World Cup in England in August and September.
The World Cup is undoubtedly the big project of this year for everyone involved and this Six Nations campaign must be seen in that light, yet the aim for Ireland is to keep their upward trajectory going.
They’ll be keen to build on the defensive, kicking, and set-piece improvements that were on display back in the autumn. The next layer is probably adding more variety to their attack. This is head coach Bemand’s area of speciality so it will be interesting to see how he looks to evolve his team.
There’s no doubt he has exciting talent to work with. The 7s flyers like Amee-Leigh Costigan, Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood, and Emile Lane are threats in the backs, while young out-half Dannah O’Brien continues to grow as a force. Eimear Considine has retired but speedster Béibhinn Parsons is due to return from a broken leg at some stage in this championship.
Wafer is already one of the leading back rows in the game, King showed her all-round class at WXV1, while tight five forwards such as chop-tackling specialist Niamh O’Dowd and the relentless Linda Djougnang allow others to grab the headlines.
Talismanic second row and co-captain Sam Monaghan will be missed again as she continues her recovery from a long-term knee injury, so the leadership of the teak-tough Edel McMahon and others will be important in what is still a young squad.
Bemand named eight uncapped players in his wider group, including Jane Clohessy – the daughter of former Munster and Ireland prop Peter – and exciting lock Alma Atagamen, who was playing in the U18 Six Nations this time last year and is one of a few players who have impressed in the Celtic Challenge competition this season.
With the women’s national talent squad [WNTS] helping to accelerate the development of this new wave of young Irish talent, Bemand’s senior side will continue to benefit.
Right now, they look towards the challenge of hosting France. Ireland gave the French a better game than most expected on this weekend last year when they lost 38-17 in Le Mans, where late tries from Wafer and incisive centre Aoife Dalton were deserved reward for the Irish effort.
France went on to finish second in the Six Nations with England clearly the best side and deserved Grand Slam winners. The French then lost to hosts Canada and New Zealand at WXV1, meaning it was an unsatisfactory year.
However, their talent and athleticism remain imposing and Ireland will have to produce another outstanding performance at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast, where Bemand’s side pipped Scotland on the last day of the 2024 championship.
As well as living up to suddenly elevated expectations, the challenge for Ireland in this Six Nations will be playing Italy, Wales, and Scotland away from home this time as the two strongest sides, France and England, visit Irish soil.
Yet there are many reasons to be optimistic as Ireland look to build more momentum on their drive towards the World Cup.
Ireland’s Six Nations fixtures:
Ireland v France - Saturday, 22 March in Kingspan Stadium, Belfast [1pm, Virgin Media]
Italy v Ireland – Sunday, 30 March in Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma [3pm, Virgin Media]
Ireland v England - Saturday, 12 April in Virgin Media Park, Cork [4.45pm, RTÉ]
Wales v Ireland - Sunday, 20 April in Rodney Parade, Newport [3pm, RTÉ]
Scotland v Ireland - Saturday, 26 April in Hive Stadium, Edinburgh [2.30pm, Virgin Media]
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