WE’VE BEEN told multiple times that many Ireland players have learned crucial skills from Sevens. Pace, one-on-one tackling, rucking — they’re all requirements of both formats, but enhanced by Sevens.

It turns out that Eve Higgins, one of Ireland’s more prominent Sevens athletes, has picked up another useful skill. It was on full display at Franklin’s Gardens last Sunday when running in a length-of-the-field intercept try.

“It’s funny, it was said: ‘Was I looking at the screen?’” explains the Ireland centre. “That’s something you learn from Sevens: sometimes you break away, and the only way to see if someone is chasing you is to look at the screen.

“When I looked up and saw Leigh [Amee-Leigh Costigan] was the closest behind me, that’s when the smile came forward and the grimace went away.”

The try was the game’s defining moment. Ireland had led by 21 points at half-time, only for Japan to strike first after the break. They were hunting for more. A line break led to an overlap, a score all but guaranteed with six red and white jerseys running at three green ones.

The gap would have narrowed to just seven with half an hour remaining. Higgins gambled. She went for the intercept, for glory. The bet paid off.

“We had one or two people outside, so we were very short,” recalls Higgins. “I saw the opportunity and knew I couldn’t go with one hand, that would have been seven points and a yellow card. I tried to grab it with two and thankfully kept my feet.

“It was a cool experience.”

An experience which has lived on in the Ireland changing room. Higgins revealed that the celebratory dive, which crowned the moment, has been immortalised. Privately, at least — we may well never see the results.

“A lot of my teammates have taken the mickey out of me, photoshopped me [diving] in different places. I don’t think I’ll ever release them, and I don’t think they will as well. When you’ve a lot of time on your hands… I might regret that [dive]!

“It’s funny, in sevens I would never [celebrate]. Someone scores a try and it’s get back in 30 seconds and go again. But in 15s there’s the place kick. You’ve time to enjoy and smile.

“When we look back, these are moments you might not live again. Playing in a World Cup — it’s huge. We didn’t do it last time. These come around every four years, it’s extremely special, so why not enjoy it?”

That try capped arguably Higgins’ best display in a green jersey. Teammate Brittany Hogan was named player of the match during the tournament-opening win over Japan, but the honour could easily have gone to the Railway centre.

Both of her line breaks were memorable, that coast-to-coast intercept along with a bust, which set up Fiona Tuite’s first-half score. She carried for a staggering 150 metres on the day, beating seven defenders in the process. Both figures were comfortably game-leading, on either side.

It was a display which confirmed, not that it was needed, Higgins’ comfort at inside centre. During the 2024 Six Nations, Higgins operated at 13 with Aoife Dalton inside her. This year, the two have swapped, Higgins seeing most of her game time at 12.

“The biggest thing is to wear a green jersey,” she says. Wherever that is, that’s the dream. I’m enjoying 12 at the moment, but if you put 13 on my bac,k I’d also enjoy that.

“[The role changes] at times. Set piece obviously, but after the first phase, everything is the same. There’s not much difference.”

Against Japan, Ireland got the fast start they so wanted after giving up early leads to Scotland and Canada in the World Cup warm-up matches. With Spain next up, this time they’re focusing on maintaining the upper hand after Japan threatened to turn the game on its head — before Higgins’ defensive intervention.

“It’s definitely something we’re looking at, how we start better in the second half,” she says. “Japan had the momentum. How can we spin that and gain momentum back?

“The main aim was to come out with a performance, and I think we did that. It was good we came through after being on the back foot, it’s important to experience those feelings in games.”

Off the pitch, Higgins has earned plenty of attention alongside wing Anna McGann for their TikTok output. Their sporting of the ‘viral fleece’ has been a particular talking point, with plenty of fans wondering if they can get their hands on what will be a popular piece of merchandise.

“We’ve spoken about TikTok…it blows my mind the exposure it can get, the support we’ve gotten from all over the world,” says Higgins. “People want those fleeces, to wear the IRFU crest, we’ll welcome every opportunity for someone to put the crest on!

“Canterbury have assured us through ChatGPT imaging that they’re going to multiple locations, worldwide, not just Ireland!”