SATURDAY’S MEETING WITH France is shaping up to be the game that defines Ireland’s Women’s Six Nations campaign.
Given the progress made under Scott Bemand over the last few years, this is a group who now speak openly about breaking into the Six Nations top-two. Essentially, that means taking out a France side who have finished second to England for the last six years running.
“We want to be breaking into the top two in the Six Nations this year, we want to be in the top four in the world,” says fullback Stacey Flood, who is happy to embrace such ambition.
“It’s such an Irish thing to shy away from being confident, and I think we just have to trust and believe and be brave in what we want to put out on the field.
“And it’s not that we’re over-confident or whatever, it’s that we trust in what we’re doing. And I don’t mind being an underdog, I don’t mind going into a game where you’re the favourite.
“But we’re the underdog in this, but do we feel like that? I wouldn’t say we’ve really focused on it a whole lot, but we know that we can take confidence in what we’ve done in the last two weeks and the last bit of training block that we’ve had.”
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Flood is in line to continue at fullback against France. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland’s record against the French doesn’t make for pretty reading, having last beaten les Bleus in 2017, but there is evidence the gap is closing.
A late French surge saw the 2025 Six Nations clash in Belfast slip away from Ireland, while last year’s World Cup quarter-final saw Bemand’s team come out on the wrong side of a thriller – where France were blessed that flanker Axelle Berthoumieu’s bite on Aoife Wafer went unpunished.
Those results could add to a sense that France remain a level above Ireland, but instead, the manner of the defeats has fed into the belief Ireland are closing in on breaking that losing run.
And that’s not the only reason confidence is high among the players. After coming through a tough opening away to England, Ireland kick-started their Six Nations campaign with a dominant 57-20 win over Italy in Galway last weekend.
Flood feels Ireland’s assured, accurate showing – particularly in a first-half where they scored seven tries to lead 45-10 at the break – should have France on red alert for Saturday’s game in Clermont [KO 8.10pm].
“I’d be worried if I was them,” says Flood.
“I think if I was them, I’d respect us a little bit more as well, just watching the sort of game we’re putting out there. It’s not just forwards, it’s not just backs, it’s a mixture and it makes it harder to defend against and play against.
“So just knowing that we’re a green wall going out there, we’re Ireland and we can back each other up, connected. So hopefully we can find ways into the game and not give them too many ins.”
France beat Ireland in a thrilling World Cup quarter-final last year. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Days like last weekend’s win in Galway showcase the potential within the group, and the support they can generate. A crowd of over 9,000 at the Dexcom Stadium marked a new record for an Ireland’s women’s home game and that will be broken again next month, with over 20,000 tickets already sold for the Aviva Stadium meeting with Scotland next month.
“I don’t really talk about the games until they come on the day, so I think it’s exciting to talk about and get Irish people excited to talk about it and get them excited to come and watch us play in Affidea or in the Aviva game.
“So I think that we can feel that on the weekend and we just want more of that. We just want Ireland behind us because it’s so important for women in sport and for young boys and girls watching us to see that they could be the next Dannah O’Brien, they could be the next Robyn O’Connor.
“I think there’s so many more players coming through and they’re ready earlier, which is so exciting.
“So I think it’s just all a knock-on effect; when we play well, things go well in the background as well, people get behind us, the game grows and that’s all we really want as a squad.”
Scott Bemand is due to name his team for the France game this morning, with the selection expected to show minimal changes from the Italy win.
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'I'd be worried if I was them' - Flood's warning for France
SATURDAY’S MEETING WITH France is shaping up to be the game that defines Ireland’s Women’s Six Nations campaign.
Given the progress made under Scott Bemand over the last few years, this is a group who now speak openly about breaking into the Six Nations top-two. Essentially, that means taking out a France side who have finished second to England for the last six years running.
“We want to be breaking into the top two in the Six Nations this year, we want to be in the top four in the world,” says fullback Stacey Flood, who is happy to embrace such ambition.
“It’s such an Irish thing to shy away from being confident, and I think we just have to trust and believe and be brave in what we want to put out on the field.
“And it’s not that we’re over-confident or whatever, it’s that we trust in what we’re doing. And I don’t mind being an underdog, I don’t mind going into a game where you’re the favourite.
“But we’re the underdog in this, but do we feel like that? I wouldn’t say we’ve really focused on it a whole lot, but we know that we can take confidence in what we’ve done in the last two weeks and the last bit of training block that we’ve had.”
Ireland’s record against the French doesn’t make for pretty reading, having last beaten les Bleus in 2017, but there is evidence the gap is closing.
A late French surge saw the 2025 Six Nations clash in Belfast slip away from Ireland, while last year’s World Cup quarter-final saw Bemand’s team come out on the wrong side of a thriller – where France were blessed that flanker Axelle Berthoumieu’s bite on Aoife Wafer went unpunished.
Those results could add to a sense that France remain a level above Ireland, but instead, the manner of the defeats has fed into the belief Ireland are closing in on breaking that losing run.
And that’s not the only reason confidence is high among the players. After coming through a tough opening away to England, Ireland kick-started their Six Nations campaign with a dominant 57-20 win over Italy in Galway last weekend.
Flood feels Ireland’s assured, accurate showing – particularly in a first-half where they scored seven tries to lead 45-10 at the break – should have France on red alert for Saturday’s game in Clermont [KO 8.10pm].
“I’d be worried if I was them,” says Flood.
“I think if I was them, I’d respect us a little bit more as well, just watching the sort of game we’re putting out there. It’s not just forwards, it’s not just backs, it’s a mixture and it makes it harder to defend against and play against.
“So just knowing that we’re a green wall going out there, we’re Ireland and we can back each other up, connected. So hopefully we can find ways into the game and not give them too many ins.”
Days like last weekend’s win in Galway showcase the potential within the group, and the support they can generate. A crowd of over 9,000 at the Dexcom Stadium marked a new record for an Ireland’s women’s home game and that will be broken again next month, with over 20,000 tickets already sold for the Aviva Stadium meeting with Scotland next month.
“I don’t really talk about the games until they come on the day, so I think it’s exciting to talk about and get Irish people excited to talk about it and get them excited to come and watch us play in Affidea or in the Aviva game.
“So I think that we can feel that on the weekend and we just want more of that. We just want Ireland behind us because it’s so important for women in sport and for young boys and girls watching us to see that they could be the next Dannah O’Brien, they could be the next Robyn O’Connor.
“I think there’s so many more players coming through and they’re ready earlier, which is so exciting.
“So I think it’s just all a knock-on effect; when we play well, things go well in the background as well, people get behind us, the game grows and that’s all we really want as a squad.”
Scott Bemand is due to name his team for the France game this morning, with the selection expected to show minimal changes from the Italy win.
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