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'The IRFU has plenty of construction work on its plate': Where do Ireland go from here?
By Nathan Johns
As soon as the draw came out, a World Cup quarter-final defeat to France was always going to par for Ireland. Japan and Spain were beatable opponents. New Zealand and France looked out of range.
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Once Sunday’s tears had dried, any big picture analysis should conclude that the nature of their performance, coming oh so close to upsetting their Six Nations rivals, elevates the last four weeks to a better than expected return.
Four years ago, Irish tears were caused by a failure to qualify for the global showpiece. A top eight return coming off the back of consecutive third-place Six Nations finishes undoubtedly represents progress. That they were the better side on the day than France will leave a frustration which lingers for the rest of these players’ lives. It should spur them on in four years’ time.
Part of the reason for Ireland’s improvement since their 2021 devastation is down to coaching. Scott Bemand has proved to be an astute appointment as head coach. His contract has one year to run. While not unequivocal, he expressed interest in leading Ireland into the next World Cup cycle.
“You’ve got me for another year,” confirmed Bemand at Sandy Park. “Obviously, all conversations need to be had. Nothing’s been had to this point. You can see that the IRFU are ambitious with where they can take the women’s programme here.
“In terms of what we’re doing it doesn’t feel like we’re anywhere near the end point. The story’s still being written and if it’s me to go forward, if I’m the right fit… if it works for myself and the players then brilliant.”
Regardless of Bemand’s long-term future, this coaching staff is now in a state of flux. Forwards coach Alex Codling moved to Munster once Ireland’s World Cup campaign ended. With Johnny Sexton moving into a full-time IRFU role, the position of women’s kicking coach Gareth Steenson remains uncertain.
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On the pitch, this is a young Irish team. No player in the squad was older than 32. Mass retirements, often a feature of World Cup denouements, are not anticipated.
In terms of ability, the difference between Ireland and France, between semi-final teams and quarter-final departures, was minimal but clear.
France had better athletes able to withstand poor performances to find match-winning moments. Crucial jackal turnovers were won. Enough offloads stuck. The wet ball was spun wide. They gave their pace threats more opportunities.
Dannah O’Brien is arguably the game’s best kicker out of hand, yet her distribution and playmaking remains a work in progress. Aoife Wafer could well be the sport’s most explosive forward but she could develop into a carrying threat who brings others into the game.
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While Linda Djougang’s inspired display partly explains an 80-minute runout for a tighthead, a lack of depth also does plenty of explanatory lifting.
Ireland are a team with super strengths. But they are neither well-rounded nor deeply stocked in every position.
Standard of domestic competition is one avenue for improvement. Of the current squad, Neve Jones, Ellena Perry, Sam Monaghan (all Gloucester-Hartpury), Nancy McGillivray, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Edel McMahon (all Exeter) and Grace Moore (Trailfinders) will return to the PWR. An injured Dorothy Wall will also head back to Exeter. Wafer is set to join teammates across the water at Harlequins.
The others will disperse into their Celtic Challenge teams. The two Irish outfits – the Wolfhounds and Clovers – dominated that competition last year. Scotland have used the Challenge largely as a development tool, while Welsh rugby appears in a transition period to say the least. Prior to last year’s Six Nations, the tournament was criticised in Ireland for failing to prepare players for the rigours of an opening French encounter.
Before the next World Cup, the IRFU wants the four provincial sides to feature professional women’s outfits. How that is paid for or who they play against remains to be seen. For whatever reason, the most recent interprovincial competition took place away from the national spotlight while Ireland were at the World Cup.
The All-Ireland League, an amateur club competition, remains the starting point for talent identification. Only a handful of teams are competitive. The best club players not on Ireland contracts train as part of the IRFU’s national talent squad. Prominent figures within the domestic game question if is the best way of attracting the country’s best athletes.
While provinces may well take over in the coming years, it remains to be seen if that model merely apes men’s rugby instead of offering a viable pathway for women’s professionalism. With the best domestic talent based in larger population centres in Dublin and Limerick, work will have to be done to convince players to move to Ulster and Connacht.
This World Cup cycle was a case of ‘build it and they will come.’ The IRFU invested in player contracts and astute coaching hires and performances improved. Travelling crowds also bought into what this team was selling over the last four weeks.
The next step is to adopt the same mantra domestically. Given the Celtic Challenge’s lack of profile, fans caught up in Ireland’s ‘green wave’ won’t see these players again until the Six Nations.
To continue the sport’s growth in popularity, and with it the standard of player available to the national team, the IRFU has plenty of construction work on its plate.
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