Sam Monaghan: 'It was the strongest we've been as a group in the last couple of years'
Sam Monaghan co-captained Ireland to a maiden WXV 3 victory last October alongside Edel McMahon which included a record-breaking 109-0 victory in their tournament opener against Kazakhstan. With the announcement of a British and Irish Lions tour sparking conversation of late, the Irish second row spoke to RugbyPass about the impact of Ireland’s WXV 3 victory, their hopes for the upcoming Six Nations, and her thoughts on the 2027 Lions tour.
Monaghan, who plays for 2022/23 Premiership-winning team Gloucester-Hartpury, stressed that while Ireland would ideally prefer to be competing at a higher level, the experience of winning WXV 3 in Dubai was invaluable in providing a springboard for the development of the team, particularly the younger players involved.
“It was the strongest we’ve ever been as a group in the last couple of years,” she said. “I know it was WXV 3 and we know that’s not where we want to be, we want to be playing in WXV 2 and WXV 1, but I think it was good especially to get some experience for some of our younger players coming through who wouldn’t have had a lot of game time. Seeing the girls doing well in the Celtic Challenge, I’ve watched a good few of the games and seeing how they’re coming on even from WXV to now, little things they’ve been working on, how they’ve improved their game knowledge and management.”
In a few weeks, focus will turn to the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, but this year’s preparations will look slightly different for the blossoming Irish squad with Scott Bemand at the helm.
“We’re back in camp at the end of February ahead of the Six Nations which is good because we have a bit more time to prepare than we did last year,” the co-captain said. “We only had about two weeks together as a squad before our first game so we have a bit more ground time together now which is good. We have a bigger playing squad so more numbers in camp, developing that next generation as well which is great to see.”
This year’s Six Nations also presents the opportunity for Ireland to face the Red Roses at Twickenham in the penultimate round. Last year’s standalone women’s fixture at Twickenham between England and France saw a record-breaking crowd of 58,498 people watch England seal the Grand Slam, and Ireland are hoping to add to the spectacle this year when they travel to London.
Monaghan recently played at Twickenham when Gloucester-Hartpury faced Harlequins at Big Game 15, winning 31-19, and looks forward to hopefully returning in a green jersey this April.
“I love playing at Twickenham, it’s great. I just played there for Big Game 15 and it is such a special place to play, especially against England,” she explained. “They’re Grand Slam champions, you couldn’t ask for more going to their backyard.
“It’s going to be a big game and I’m excited for it but there are a few games before that to get under our belts so we’ll concentrate on them first and when that one comes along, we’ll hit them hard. I thought we played the best defensively we did last year against England to see that we’re able to put ourselves up defensively for those bigger games is good. But, we’ve been really working on our attack this year so hopefully we can implement that for this year’s Six Nations.”
The recent announcement of a women’s British and Irish Lions tour in 2027 has piqued the interest of many rugby spheres in recent weeks. From an Irish perspective, the first tour being held in New Zealand presents a golden opportunity to face the Black Ferns.
“I grew up watching the men’s Lions and seeing how great it is with the nations coming together and playing for one purpose,” Monaghan said. “To be playing in New Zealand [in 2027], especially for the Irish, the one nation out of the four that didn’t go to the Rugby World Cup there in 2022, it was hugely disappointing not to play there. For Ireland [players] as well to get the chance to be able to be able to play over there and against them [Black Ferns] is an amazing opportunity and something we’ll all look forward to.”
While the announcement of the Lions tour in 2027 has been the topic of many conversations of late, Monaghan remains focused on the tournaments in the near future and discussed the mixed emotions involved for any players who are planning on retiring after the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2025.
“To be honest, I haven’t overly thought about it that much [playing for the Lions in 2027]. It’s that far away that there are so many big moments before then like the opportunity of the next Six Nations, WXV, getting qualification for the 2025 World Cup.
“There are a lot of mixed emotions at the minute. Yes, there is so much excitement, but even in the last year so much has changed in women’s rugby and in personal journeys as well that you never really know where you’re going to be. For the women’s game in general, it is class. It is the next stepping stone. It’s probably a pity that it didn’t happen sooner but great that they’ve picked New Zealand as well to have it in.”
“I know there are probably some mixed emotions,” she added. “A lot of players will be potentially thinking about retiring after the next World Cup [2025], three years is a lot to hold on for as well. But, it’s great for the younger players seeing this. It’s class that that’s where the game is going and how exciting it is for another massive stepping stone for women’s rugby.”
In contrast to the four men’s teams who combine to form the men’s British and Irish Lions, their female equivalents are still experiencing vastly varying levels of professionalism. This has been a contributing factor to many discussions surrounding a potentially English-dominated women’s Lions team due to them being the team who have led the way in terms of professionalism in the women’s game.
“I know from an international perspective, Scotland, Wales, and England are all fully professional. Ireland are still a good few years behind, unfortunately. The [Irish] girls that play over here [Premiership Women’s Rugby], we’re semi-professional at our clubs and train, but we need to work alongside that.
“The girls who are home in Ireland, we have a number of players who are fully contracted who are now involved in the Celtic Challenge, so it’s kind of just closing the gap and bringing those together so we can have more of a full-time programme so we can have more cohesiveness across the squad,” Monaghan explained.
“The PWR, it’s quite difficult at the minute I’m sure for coaches and players as the game moves forward and there are more full-time players, for those dual career athletes to stay competitive. I know for us personally we’ve done day sessions and then they’re coming in from work in the evening and probably missing analysis, after working a long day, fatigue comes into it as well. I know as the workload gets more it’s hard for the dual-career girls to catch up. That would be the ideal scenario to see the PWR be fully professional in the next couple of years.
“The Red Roses are strong, they have some really good players, but I think individually across the PWR, the Welsh, Scottish, and Irish are well represented. At the end of the day, it’s who puts their hand up for it, who’s the best player for the role country-wise, because that’s what the Lions is about, and on-pitch performance,” she added.
In addition to a Lions tour hopefully prompting increased support for the women’s teams in the four nations, it is also possible that the aspiration to host and face a prestigious Lions team could additionally prompt increased action in other nations to add to the provision for their women’s teams in order to be considered as viable opponents.
“I definitely think that there are other teams like Australia, and South Africa, who have really come in in the last couple of years as well, they’ve put more investment into their women’s team, it’s great to see some of the South African players now playing in the PWR as well and doing so well and thriving in this [full-time] environment. It [the desire to host a women’s Lions tour] definitely could help. That would probably be 2031 or onwards so they would still have a good bit of time and competitions in the meantime that gives them more time together,” Monaghan said.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Poetic justice for trying to sell him to Australia as another kiwi saviour coach, not ! Deans was just as bad actually but McCaw and Carter covered up for him. That’s why they didn’t want him as All Black coach, even after Graeme Henry’s bumbling effort in 2007.
2 Go to commentsSACK HIM !
2 Go to commentsSafas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
87 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
87 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
87 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
87 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
87 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
87 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
87 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
87 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
87 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
87 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
87 Go to comments