WOMEN'S SIX NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP:A YEAR after finishing third on points difference ahead of Wales, Scotland and Italy in the Six Nations Championship Ireland open their 2012 campaign against the Welsh in Ashbourne this evening, coach Philip Doyle naming two new caps in his starting line-up and another four in the replacements.
The game will be Ireland’s first competitive outing since losing 31-0 to England in Ashbourne last March, a victory that sealed the visitors’ sixth title in a row.
Since then England have played eight internationals, their A team competing in another five, an indication of the advantage the reigning champions have over most of their Six Nations’ rivals.
Wales, too, haven’t played competitively since the end of their 2011 campaign, when they lost to runners-up France, a handicap Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan concedes doesn’t make it easy to maintain momentum.
“I’d imagine it’s down to money, because of the times we’re in,” she said, “but it obviously makes it difficult. It’s all well and good in training, but it’s very hard to see where you’re at before going in to games.
“It’s tough, particularly when you’re starting again with different combinations, the lack of games doesn’t help. You look at how many games England have played since the last Six Nations, and France have had a few too, but you just get on with it.”
Still, Coghlan remains confident the team can make progress in the new campaign, or at the very least repeat the third-place finish from last season – and a top-four finish this year and next will be required if they are to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.
“All of which means you can’t afford a slip-up, so we definitely need to target our three home games this year and make sure we win them.”
After Wales, Ireland play Italy and Scotland in Ashbourne.
“To beat England or France away would be amazing, and it is doable (they only lost 12-14 to France last year), but we definitely have to focus on those home games.
“We lost to Wales by a point last year, they were the better team on the day but we really didn’t perform, I don’t think we did ourselves justice. We’re quite evenly matched, the results have gone to and fro; it’s a game we’ve targeted to win – but they’ll have done exactly the same.”
The squad has had four training weekends together in the build-up to the campaign, much of the time used to blend in the new additions to the panel, among them Ulster’s Ashleigh Baxter, who makes her debut at fullback on Friday, and “Exile” Sophie Spence who wins her first cap in the secondrow.
“The IRFU re-established a women’s Exiles side in England, and it’s been brilliant for us,” said Coghlan. “A lot of the players are playing in the Premiership over there, which is a really good standard, so it’s a big boost to have a few of them coming in to the squad. It expands the pool of players, which we needed.
“We also a few new young players, 18 and 19 years old, who have been playing since they were young – unlike the rest of us who only started when we were around that age.
“They’ve come up through the ranks, they’re more skilful and have a better understanding of the game, so they can only strengthen us too.
“The more numbers we can get playing at a younger age the better. We need that route from youth up to national, that’s how women’s rugby here will grow.”
IRELAND (v Wales): 15 Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harl/Ulster); 14 Niamh Kavanagh (UL Boh/Munster), 13 Niamh Briggs (UL Boh/Munster), 12 Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster), 11 Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Highfield/Connacht); 10 Lynne Cantwell (Exile), 9 Amy Davis (Blackrock/Leinster); 1 Fiona Coghlan (UL Boh/Leinster) (capt), 2 Gillian Bourke (UL Boh/Munster), 3 Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster), 4 Marie Louise Reilly (Old Belvedere/Leinster), 5 Sophie Spence (Exile), 6 Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster), 7 Claire Molloy (Bristol/Exile), 8 Joy Neville (UL Boh/Munster). Replacements: 16 Paula Fitzpatrick (St Mary’s/Leinster); 17 Ruth O’Reilly (Galwegians/Connacht); 18 Siobhán Fleming (Tralee/Munster); 19 Heather O’Brien (Highfield/Munster); 20 Larissa Muldoon (Exile/UWIC/Ulster); 21 Nikki Caughey (Belfast Harl/Ulster); 22 AN Other.
Tonight
Ireland v Wales, Ashbourne RFC, 7.30pm.
Saturday, February 11th
France v Ireland, Pau, 6.30pm.
Friday, February 24th
Ireland v Italy, Ashbourne, 7.30pm.
Friday, March 9th
Ireland v Scotland, Ashbourne, 7.30pm.
Saturday, March 17th
England v Ireland, Esher RFC, 2.30pm.
Ireland’s Schedule
(all kick-off times local)
