‘Why Ireland should target World Cup semi-final’

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.