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Women’s Rugby World Cup – Pool C: Ireland v Japan

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton Date: Sunday, 24 August Kick-off: 12: 00 BST

Former Ireland captain Nichola Fryday has joined BBC Sport as a pundit for the Women’s Rugby World Cup. In her first column, the retired former Exeter Chiefs player explores what Ireland have got right since failing to qualify in 2021, players to look out for and what to expect from Japan.

During the last World Cup, Ireland watched with envy from home after failing to qualify for the first time since 1991. Three years on, it’s a different story. Not only are Ireland in the tournament, but I think they should be targeting a semi-final.

This would have been inconceivable a few years ago. I was on the pitch when we lost to Scotland in the World Cup qualifiers in Parma in 2021.

It was a dark time for us, both on and off the pitch. As a squad, we were working full-time and pretty much training and playing full-time on top of that. We’d work Monday to Friday, go into camp on Friday evening, do close to eight sessions and come back out on Sunday night before going back to work on Monday.

It was a stressful existence and we didn’t even have a World Cup to look forward to at the end of it.

Thankfully, things have since moved in the right direction since. With more investment and contracts for players, Ireland have reaped the rewards. There have been back-to-back third-place finishes in the Six Nations and a promotion to WXV1, where we earned a memorable win over New Zealand last year.

That win over the Black Ferns means Scott Bemand’s side must target first place in Pool C. If they do that, it would likely mean facing Italy or South Africa in the quarter-final and Ireland are capable of beating either.

As has been well-documented, Ireland are without some of their starting pack. Dorothy Wall and Erin King have both starred at international level recently and were poised to make a major impression at this tournament, so losing them to injury has been a big blow in the build-up.

When we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, it was a collective disappointment because none of us were going. But to be left at home injured is particularly devastating and I’m sure there’s been dark days for both of them.

They’re both young though and I’m sure they’ll feature at future World Cups.

For me, the return of Sam Monaghan is the biggest piece of squad news.

If Sam hadn’t been available for the tournament, it would have been a completely different outlook. She is that big a player for this team. We don’t call her ‘ Sammy Bill ‘ Monaghan for no reason.

Edel McMahon should also be back during the tournament, so having both co-captains available is a huge boost.

There are a few Ireland players people should look out for, too.

Beibhinn Parsons has returned from a broken leg and has the quality to light up this tournament. She got some minutes in the warm-up gamers against Scotland and Canada but she didn’t get much ball, so people will not have seen what she can really do.

Beibhinn has been in the Ireland set-up since she was 16 and with good reason: she’s one of the best wingers Ireland have ever had.

Another player I’m excited to watch is Aoibheann Reilly at scrum-half. She had some rotten luck with a couple of ACL injuries, but after returning in the Six Nations, she can form an effective half-back partnership with Dannah O’Brien.

Of course, there are always surprise selections in a World Cup squad and Nancy McGillivray wouldn’t have been on a lot of people’s radars at the start of the year.

For me, she is a real gem of a player for Ireland to have. I know Nancy from our time together at Exeter and I believe she has the ability to become a stalwart at centre for Ireland over the next decade.

Scott has included Ellena Perry in his squad, too, but there’s no questioning here ability. She’s been at Gloucester-Hartpury for years, has won Premiership titles and will surely drive the standards of that Irish front row.

As for the Japan game, I’m expecting it to be fast-paced and physical. Japan head coach Lesley McKenzie has placed an emphasis on the conditioning of the players in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Japan are notorious for being a quick team, but they have been working hard on the physical side and I’m sure they will have something up their sleeve when it comes to set-piece time.

They have a strong front row, too, especially if Sachiko Kato is starting. I played with her in Exeter: she’s a strong scrummager and is lethal around the tryline from two or three metres out.

For Ireland, it’s about playing smart rugby and outworking Japan but I have seen enough from our girls in the warm-up games to be confident about an opening victory in Northampton on our return to the biggest stage for the first time in eight years.

Women’s Rugby World Cup – Pool C: Ireland v Japan

Venue: Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton Date: Sunday, 24 August Kick-off: 12: 00 BST

Former Ireland captain Nichola Fryday has joined BBC Sport as a pundit for the Women’s Rugby World Cup. In her first column, the retired former Exeter Chiefs player explores what Ireland have got right since failing to qualify in 2021, players to look out for and what to expect from Japan.

During the last World Cup, Ireland watched with envy from home after failing to qualify for the first time since 1991. Three years on, it’s a different story. Not only are Ireland in the tournament, but I think they should be targeting a semi-final.

This would have been inconceivable a few years ago. I was on the pitch when we lost to Scotland in the World Cup qualifiers in Parma in 2021.

It was a dark time for us, both on and off the pitch. As a squad, we were working full-time and pretty much training and playing full-time on top of that. We’d work Monday to Friday, go into camp on Friday evening, do close to eight sessions and come back out on Sunday night before going back to work on Monday.

It was a stressful existence and we didn’t even have a World Cup to look forward to at the end of it.

Thankfully, things have since moved in the right direction since. With more investment and contracts for players, Ireland have reaped the rewards. There have been back-to-back third-place finishes in the Six Nations and a promotion to WXV1, where we earned a memorable win over New Zealand last year.

That win over the Black Ferns means Scott Bemand’s side must target first place in Pool C. If they do that, it would likely mean facing Italy or South Africa in the quarter-final and Ireland are capable of beating either.

As has been well-documented, Ireland are without some of their starting pack. Dorothy Wall and Erin King have both starred at international level recently and were poised to make a major impression at this tournament, so losing them to injury has been a big blow in the build-up.

When we didn’t qualify for the World Cup, it was a collective disappointment because none of us were going. But to be left at home injured is particularly devastating and I’m sure there’s been dark days for both of them.

They’re both young though and I’m sure they’ll feature at future World Cups.

For me, the return of Sam Monaghan is the biggest piece of squad news.

If Sam hadn’t been available for the tournament, it would have been a completely different outlook. She is that big a player for this team. We don’t call her ‘ Sammy Bill ‘ Monaghan for no reason.

Edel McMahon should also be back during the tournament, so having both co-captains available is a huge boost.

There are a few Ireland players people should look out for, too.

Beibhinn Parsons has returned from a broken leg and has the quality to light up this tournament. She got some minutes in the warm-up gamers against Scotland and Canada but she didn’t get much ball, so people will not have seen what she can really do.

Beibhinn has been in the Ireland set-up since she was 16 and with good reason: she’s one of the best wingers Ireland have ever had.

Another player I’m excited to watch is Aoibheann Reilly at scrum-half. She had some rotten luck with a couple of ACL injuries, but after returning in the Six Nations, she can form an effective half-back partnership with Dannah O’Brien.

Of course, there are always surprise selections in a World Cup squad and Nancy McGillivray wouldn’t have been on a lot of people’s radars at the start of the year.

For me, she is a real gem of a player for Ireland to have. I know Nancy from our time together at Exeter and I believe she has the ability to become a stalwart at centre for Ireland over the next decade.

Scott has included Ellena Perry in his squad, too, but there’s no questioning here ability. She’s been at Gloucester-Hartpury for years, has won Premiership titles and will surely drive the standards of that Irish front row.

As for the Japan game, I’m expecting it to be fast-paced and physical. Japan head coach Lesley McKenzie has placed an emphasis on the conditioning of the players in the lead-up to the World Cup.

Japan are notorious for being a quick team, but they have been working hard on the physical side and I’m sure they will have something up their sleeve when it comes to set-piece time.

They have a strong front row, too, especially if Sachiko Kato is starting. I played with her in Exeter: she’s a strong scrummager and is lethal around the tryline from two or three metres out.

For Ireland, it’s about playing smart rugby and outworking Japan but I have seen enough from our girls in the warm-up games to be confident about an opening victory in Northampton on our return to the biggest stage for the first time in eight years.

Steve Clarke, the head coach of Scotland, has acknowledged that he “feels the pressure” to bring the country to its first World Cup title in 28 years.

The Scots have won two European Championships under Clarke’s tutelage, but they haven’t been able to match Craig Brown’s group’s 1998 success.

On September 5, the nation’s most recent qualification campaign, this time for the nation’s finals in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, will take off against the formidable Danes.

The reserved and prone to resentment told BBC Sport, “I feel the pressure.”

There is a lot of pressure, I believe, because we do want to go there, the country wants to go there, and obviously some of that comes back on me as the head coach.

But I’m anticipating it.

As he gears up for what might be his final campaign, the Scotland boss spoke with Kelly Cates from Match of the Day.

The 61-year-old, who will announce his squad next week, has previously stated that he is confident that his country’s reign will come to an end after this World Cup campaign.

Scotland has not qualified for a major finals since that French sojourn back under Brown, which is where the journey began more than six years ago.

The Scots have had their first two attempts at the Euros due to a failed summer fling, despite the Scots having to make it out of the group for the first time.

The group are determined to put that right, according to the former Kilmarnock manager, who is in line to become Scotland’s longest-serving leader, despite having to face a group that includes Greece and Belarus.

He stated on the record, “I knew it was coming up, I didn’t know it was that close.”

The most crucial thing is not me becoming the most successful Scotland manager or whatever, but for the team to reach America next year.

“We have a fantastic lineup of players,” he said. They are all determined to make up for the 2022 opportunity that we saw missed, and we can only hope to succeed in Qatar.

Clarke continued, “I think the players that I’ve worked with have shown us that we have the capacity to compete in significant tournaments.” Even the last World Cup, the qualification process’s group stage was strong.

We finished the contest 23 points clear of Denmark, I believe. Danemark came in with 27 . Our campaign was successful. In what were hardly any unusual circumstances, we made it to the play-offs and then let ourselves down against Ukraine on the night.

“We had to wait until March to play the game,” the player said. Evidently, the conflict had just begun in Ukraine. We didn’t play as we can play, and it was a challenging night.

The players in my squad who participated in that one are determined to fix the situation this time.

As he prepares for his third World Cup qualifying campaign as Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill has firmly established his selection policies.

While the most repeated criteria has been the importance of his players getting as many minutes at as a high a level as possible when it comes to their club careers, another is the notion that no player showing the sufficient commitment to the cause will be cast aside by the former Newcastle United and Dundee United midfielder.

Before away qualifiers against Luxembourg and Germany next month, such a strategy was evident on Thursday as O’Neill revealed his 26-man squad for the double-header which included a return for goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The 28-year-old has won 48 caps for Northern Ireland but has not been involved in the panel since November 2024, with his most recent cap coming two months prior.

Yet, with usual deputy Conor Hazard missing with a knee injury sustained in June, and first choice Pierce Charles a major doubt with a shoulder problem picked up for Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, the former Leeds United goalkeeper could be in line for what once seemed an unlikely return to a starting role.

“He’s the most experienced goalkeeper we have in terms of club and international football. It’s good to have him back”, said O’Neill.

Peacock-Farrell’s international comeback, however, has come at difficult juncture in his club career.

He is currently on loan at Blackpool from Birmingham – with the League One side his fifth club in as many seasons. And it has been a rocky start with Steve Bruce’s side who have conceded 11 goals in his four league games to date.

O’Neill, though, expects to see Peacock-Farrell’s best form soon.

“I think he’s had his best periods as a goalkeeper when he’s been on loan. Obviously, he’s on another loan now”, O’Neill said.

“The initial move to Birmingham, he’s honest enough to know that it hasn’t gone as well as what he would have hoped.

” He has a chance now at a very good club. It is a really good opportunity for him. “

O’Neill has also been impressed with the attitude Peacock-Farrell has shown in his efforts to get his club career back on track.

” I think that it was important for him to get the move. It’s easy to sit there in a situation and take the easy route, “he added.

” I know, having spoken to Bailey, that he hasn’t done that. He has sacrificed quite a bit to come and take this move and get himself and get his career going in the right direction again. I think that’s very commendable.

Peacock-Farrell is not the only returning player with Stevenage striker Jamie Reid also earning a recall after five League One goals in four games this season.

The 31-year-old scored against Romania on his international debut in March 2024 but, having failed to find the net for the side since, fell behind Ronan Hale and Lee Bonis in the pecking order for friendly games in March and June.

While there is no place for fit-again Exeter City striker Josh Magennis this time around, O’Neill says he will not “close the door” on any player.

“Look, we monitor 37 players, so we’re not going to close the door on players on the periphery of things”, he said.

“Players go through different things at different points in their career. We had to use the games in June to give players opportunities as well and we did that.

As he prepares for his third World Cup qualifying campaign as Northern Ireland manager, Michael O’Neill has firmly established his selection policies.

While the most repeated criteria has been the importance of his players getting as many minutes at as a high a level as possible when it comes to their club careers, another is the notion that no player showing the sufficient commitment to the cause will be cast aside by the former Newcastle United and Dundee United midfielder.

Before away qualifiers against Luxembourg and Germany next month, such a strategy was evident on Thursday as O’Neill revealed his 26-man squad for the double-header which included a return for goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell.

The 28-year-old has won 48 caps for Northern Ireland but has not been involved in the panel since November 2024, with his most recent cap coming two months prior.

Yet, with usual deputy Conor Hazard missing with a knee injury sustained in June, and first choice Pierce Charles a major doubt with a shoulder problem picked up for Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, the former Leeds United goalkeeper could be in line for what once seemed an unlikely return to a starting role.

“He’s the most experienced goalkeeper we have in terms of club and international football. It’s good to have him back”, said O’Neill.

Peacock-Farrell’s international comeback, however, has come at difficult juncture in his club career.

He is currently on loan at Blackpool from Birmingham – with the League One side his fifth club in as many seasons. And it has been a rocky start with Steve Bruce’s side who have conceded 11 goals in his four league games to date.

O’Neill, though, expects to see Peacock-Farrell’s best form soon.

“I think he’s had his best periods as a goalkeeper when he’s been on loan. Obviously, he’s on another loan now”, O’Neill said.

“The initial move to Birmingham, he’s honest enough to know that it hasn’t gone as well as what he would have hoped.

” He has a chance now at a very good club. It is a really good opportunity for him. “

O’Neill has also been impressed with the attitude Peacock-Farrell has shown in his efforts to get his club career back on track.

” I think that it was important for him to get the move. It’s easy to sit there in a situation and take the easy route, “he added.

” I know, having spoken to Bailey, that he hasn’t done that. He has sacrificed quite a bit to come and take this move and get himself and get his career going in the right direction again. I think that’s very commendable.

Peacock-Farrell is not the only returning player with Stevenage striker Jamie Reid also earning a recall after five League One goals in four games this season.

The 31-year-old scored against Romania on his international debut in March 2024 but, having failed to find the net for the side since, fell behind Ronan Hale and Lee Bonis in the pecking order for friendly games in March and June.

While there is no place for fit-again Exeter City striker Josh Magennis this time around, O’Neill says he will not “close the door” on any player.

“Look, we monitor 37 players, so we’re not going to close the door on players on the periphery of things”, he said.

“Players go through different things at different points in their career. We had to use the games in June to give players opportunities as well and we did that.