LONG READ 'We have what it takes to beat France' - Ireland aim to emulate history-makers

When Dannah O’Brien’s kick behind the Black Ferns’ defensive press bounced agonisingly out of play, just before Amee-Leigh Costigan could ground it for a try, Ireland’s last hope left Brighton’s Amex Stadium.

Scott Bemand’s side had been mercilessly backed into a corner by then, and were already trailing 19-0. That was the last, desperate swing before the Kiwis finished them off. Three more converted tries in a 40-0 victory, and a message sent to all the remaining teams.

Ten months ago, Ireland defeated the Black Ferns 29-27 in a thrilling encounter at WXV1, in Vancouver. “While you were sleeping,” flanker Erin King told Irish fans back home, “we just beat the Black Ferns.”

King scored two tries in what was a landmark game for this Irish team. Aoife Wafer crashed over for another two, while Dorothy Wall put in a typically abrasive, punching performance for the full 80. This weekend, in Exeter, the rehabilitating King and Wall will cheer from the stands while Wafer has not started a game since a 40-14 win over Wales, back in April.

I meet up with King at Three Rock, in the Dublin Mountains, days out from Ireland’s World Cup quarter-final against France. World Rugby’s reigning breakthrough player of the year is recovering from knee surgery, earlier this year, but handles the mountain terrain well, at a jersey launch event for Canterbury and Intersport Elverys.

“The scoreline against the Black Ferns didn’t look great,” King admits. “I know the girls will be really disappointed they didn’t put up any points against them. I don’t think that fully reflects how well they played – we definitely showed glimpses of greatness. We were quite unfortunate at times and we are better than that. We didn’t put our best foot forward there.

That loss against New Zealand will, I hope, fuel our fire…It should be a very good battle, a close match.

“Thankfully Aoife Wafer can feature. Aoife is such an influential player in our squad and getting her back for this weekend is such a boost.”

Wafer, Wall and King were all hit with bad injuries that required going under the surgeon’s knife. All three started Ireland’s last game against France, at Ravenhill, back in March. Les Bleus raced into a 14-0 lead but were pegged back to 17-15 before pulling away in the final 10 minutes.

“That loss against New Zealand will, I hope, fuel our fire,” King says. “We do have what it takes to beat France. We definitely ran them really close in the Six Nations. It should be a very good battle, a close match. I’m going over and am really looking forward to supporting the girls. The girls do deserve success, for all the work they’ve put in and improvements they’ve shown in the past two years. It would mean so much to that green wave if we do get to that semi-final.”

Lynne Cantwell was part of some unwanted Irish rugby history, in 2002, when making her Test debut against England. Ireland’s greatest ever women’s player was brought into the fray with her side already a half-century of points behind. They ended up losing 79-0.

“I went on as a winger and it was a frightening experience, honest to God,” Cantwell recalls. “But hey, look, you have to start somewhere.”

Cantwell would hang up her boots, 12 years and 86 caps later, having helped create some altogether rosier history. She was part of an Ireland team that won their first ever Six Nations title, in 2013, and in Grand Slam style. The following year, she was back in the No.13 jersey as Ireland defeated the Black Ferns on the way to a first ever World Cup semi-final.

The power of us elevating the credibility of women’s sport – and the effect it can have on our daughters, sisters and so on – is massive.

Eleven years on, Cantwell is seeing out her commitments as High Performance Manager with the South African Rugby Union. The Springbok Women’s side take on New Zealand in the first World Cup quarter-final in Exeter on Saturday. The following day, also at Sandy Park, Ireland face France with a chance to match the achievement of Cantwell’s 2014 team.

When the World Cup wraps, the Dubliner will shift her entire focus to a role she has been getting to grips with since October of last year – Head of Women’s Strategy for Irish Rugby.

I had the pleasure of sitting with Cantwell and Brian O’Driscoll – another iconic Irish 13 – as part of a Defender event celebrating the staging of the 2025 World Cup. Two of Ireland’s best players of the modern era are huge advocates of the women’s game and thrilled to see how far it has come in the past decade.

“The main story of this World Cup will be about the performances on the pitch, and we should see some really close quarters and semis,” says Cantwell. “We may not have necessarily seen that before. That is mainly due to the elevation in standards of all these teams.

“The other story will be about the sponsorships and brands that are connecting with the competition, and different teams… we can’t separate sport and society; one influences the other. The power of us elevating the credibility of women’s sport – and the effect it can have on our daughters, sisters and so on – is massive, and the off-field opportunities that can open up for them. We’re seeing great examples of brands coming on board that really get that and want to support us.”

“When you talk about our daughters,” O’Driscoll notes, “you can talk about our sons, as well. I look at our 10-year-old (Billy) and I do think it is about that generation and them seeing equality. He’ll watch the women’s tournament as no different to the men’s. And then what happens over the next 10 years, again, is the perception changes.

I’ll be watching games with my son, and it will be no different from a men’s game – 15 minutes in, he’ll be out the back garden passing a ball to himself.

“When you highlight and celebrate the big-name players and the feel of a tournament is the same, across men’s and women’s, there is no differentiation, then. The game might be slightly different – the men’s game is slightly quicker – but it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the women’s game equally.

“I know I’ll be sitting down watching games with my son, and it will be no different from watching a men’s game – 15 minutes in, he’ll be out the back garden passing a ball to himself. That’s just par for the course. It’s not because of what he’s watching. It’s just – see it, want to play it. That’s the feeling you want to get with the next generation, boys and girls.”

This weekend’s quarter-finals will see Cantwell hoping Ireland and South Africa can upset the odds to reach the last four. O’Driscoll would certainly take that, too, but gushes about how strong the Black Ferns look. He is not the only one to see the reigning world champions and England on a collision course for Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium, on 27 September.

As for Irish players that can play their part in getting their team deep into the knock-out stages, the legendary 13s highlight Wafer, Amee-Leigh Costigan and Aoife Dalton. O’Driscoll feels Beibhinn Parsons is certainly another one to watch.

“It’s amazing to think she’s only 23,” he exclaims. “It feels as though she has been around forever. She is just back from injury and the most challenging thing for any athlete is that injury piece. She’s had a couple of serious ones, but to come back and be fit for what is a very competitive back three is great. With ball-in-hand, she is destructive and physical.”

Housemates in Exeter, this weekend, will be Dorothy Wall and Erin King. Wall has been with Exeter Chiefs since July 2024 and will be hoping to return, later this year, in the Premiership Women’s Rugby. Their contributions at Sandy Park will come as Irish fans. Wafer – Ireland’s best game-breaker – will be hoping for more of an on-field impact this weekend.