World Cup a ‘very different experience’ from 2017

Ireland vs. Spain: Pool C of the Women’s Rugby World Cup

Date: Sunday, August 31; Kick-off: 12:00 BST

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Ireland’s only female rugby player from the 2017 Women’s World Cup describes the experience as “very different” this time around.

The 32-year-old hooker, who replaced her in the opening 42-14 victory over Japan last Sunday, will make her debut start for the 2025 match against Spain on Sunday.

The wife of Claudia, who scored a try for England in a 92-3 win over Samoa on Saturday, has gone through the highs and lows of the green jersey and says she is “excited” to start against Spain.

Linda Djougang is gearing up to win her 50th cap, and Sadhbh McGrath, Moloney-MacDonald’s Exeter Chiefs team-mate, will be celebrating her 21st birthday on Saturday. Nancy McGillivray, who was named on the bench for her first appearance in World Cup action, will also be eligible for her place.

She told BBC Sport NI, “It’s a very different experience, even in terms of the staff members we have and how big the squad is.”

“We were 28 when we were younger, and we are 32 now.” How much of a difference can those four players make in terms of training quality?

The numbers are growing, and the last one was special because it was Ireland’s home World Cup, which is as close as it could be.

The celebrations will be put on hold until after Sunday’s Northampton game, when Ireland will attempt to advance to the quarter-finals.

Spain lost 54-8 to the Black Ferns in their opening game versus New Zealand, but Moloney-MacDonald is not downplaying the challenge that lies ahead.

She noted that they are “very fast and fit,” and that they have a lot of outside back Sevens experience.

They “pose some jackal threats on the edge and play a little off the cuff.” Although it was a different experience than last week’s in Japan, we are hoping to add some value to the experience. The key to managing the breakdowns will be lowering the cost of our defense in the initial stages.