Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Ireland were beaten 18-13 by France to exit the World Cup at the quarter-final stage in their last game in September
ByLauren McCannBBC Sport NI Journalist- Published51 minutes ago
Six months on from their heartbreaking World Cup exit to France at the quarter-final stage, the Ireland team has re-assembled for the Women's Six Nations with renewed vigour.
That 18-13 defeat in Exeter is still fresh in their memory, but Scott Bemand's side are determined to use it as fuel to fire them to new heights in this year's championship.
Under Bemand they have secured back-to-back third place finishes in the Six Nations, coming in 10 points behind France in second and 17 behind eventual winners England in 2025.
So, what would success look like in this year's Six Nations?
The goals are clear: close the gap further to the top two and finally pick up an elusive victory over France after some near misses.
It will be a tough ask with their games against world champions England, who have won seven straight Six Nations titles and last lost a game in 2018, and France both coming away from home, but Bemand wants his side to prove they have reached another level.
"We've always said we don't want to be afraid to talk about winning; winning games and competitions," he said.
"The nice thing about how we've been tracking is that we had a good World Cup, but we didn't get what we wanted out of that quarter-final. We pushed France close, but we have to be another school better.
"It feels like a lifetime ago but it's been six months since we were last together and the squad continues to look stronger than the competition before and I think we're tacking in the right direction."
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'With the squad we have, we can do things we've never done before'
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, King has battled back from a serious knee injury sustained in last year's Six Nations to captain Ireland for this year's championship
To continue their upward trajectory, Bemand, who has signed a new deal to stay with Ireland until the conclusion of the 2029 Women's Rugby World Cup, has freshened up his squad and opted for a change of captain.
There are nine uncapped players in the 36-strong panel while winger Amee-Leigh Costigan, who captained the side throughout last year's championship, and former co-captain Edel McMahon, are out.
The armband has been passed to returning back row Erin King, who Bemand believes is the ideal candidate to lead the green wave into a new cycle.
He said: "Erin embodies the Ireland player of the future of how she attacks training and how she is - honest, driven and a resilient player."
The 22-year-old recently returned from the serious knee injury which forced her to miss last year's World Cup and is relishing her new role.
King believes Ireland must target being competitive in both games against the top two and it is not an unrealistic goal.
They were well in the game at half-time in Cork last year when they trailed 7-5, only for England to blow them away in the second half to win 49-5.
At the World Cup in the summer, Ireland led 13-0 at the break before France came back with 18 unanswered points to progress to the last four.
"We know we are bridging the gap to the top two teams - France and England. They've been professional for a lot longer than us but the last few years of our professionalism is paying off now," she said.
"Last year we held it to England for a good while so it would be great if we could compete for the full 80 [minutes] against them and get to get one up on France, we can definitely compete with them.
"With the squad we have, we can do things we've never done before. We just want to get going."
'We want to prove we know performances are in us'
Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Higgins started Ireland's quarter-final defeat against France
Ireland open their campaign away to England at Allianz Stadium with more than 67,000 tickets already sold, guaranteeing an improvement on the existing tournament record crowd of 58,498 the Red Roses set against France in 2023.
Bemand's side then host Italy in Galway on 18 April before travelling to France seven days later.
Ireland conclude the Six Nations with back-to-back home games against Wales and Scotland in Belfast and Dublin on 9 and 17 May.
The game against the Scots will be the team's first stand-alone Women's Six Nations fixture at the Aviva Stadium having previously played Italy at the Lansdowne Road venue in 2014 as part of a double-header alongside the men's team.
For centre Eve Higgins, it is, and has been since the final whistle blew at Sandy Park in September to confirm their crushing defeat against Les Bleus, all about finally getting over the line against France.
Francois Ratier's side have won the last five meetings in all competitions, but the margin of victory has been shrinking each time and Higgins wants Ireland to atone for their poor second-half showing at the World Cup and secure a big win that would certainly boost their chances of finishing second.
"We know as players that we had that game in our hands and it's very frustrating we didn't perform to our ability, we could have won that game," she said.
"That put fire in the belly, we know we can put a performance in to beat France and we need to do it.
"As soon as the final whistle went in France in the World Cup my first thought was we get to play them in the Six Nations and to do it [beat them] in France would be special.
"We want to prove we know performances are in us. We've seen glimpses in the World Cup, but we want to bring it all in the Six Nations."
