Twelve months on from Ireland’s historic win over New Zealand, what has changed for Irish women’s sport, asks Mary White.

Italy Women 5 Ireland Women 30

Head coach Philip Doyle, captain Fiona Coghlan and fellow veteran Lynne Cantwell led the Irish women’s rugby team out for one last time last night, through Dublin Airport’s arrivals hall and into a welcoming scrum of supporters.

WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP:

Emotions ran high in the aftermath of Ireland's 25-18 loss to Women's World Cup hosts France, especially with Fiona Coghlan and Philip Doyle heading up the list of departing players and coaches.

Irish veteran Tania Rosser insists Ireland must move on from the disappointment of Tuesday’s World Cup semi-final loss ahead of tomorrow’s third-place play-off.

The French rugby union’s HQ in Marcoussis is a quiet enough sort of spot at the best of times, but it must be positively eerie today as so many of its current residents come to terms with the events of Wednesday evening.

Ireland's first ever Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final appearance turned into a nightmare outing as dominant England hit them with 40 unanswered points in Paris.

Ireland Women's rugby coach Philip Doyle has named the same side that overcame New Zealand for their Women's Rugby World Cup semi-final against England tomorrow.

In the world of high performance sport you live in the present. You only have now. There is no future or past.

Ireland 40 Kazakhstan 5

Ireland Women's captain Lynne Cantwell says that using all 26 members of the World Cup squad could pay dividends when they take on old rivals England in Wednesday's semi-finals.

Ireland Women 40 Kazakhstan Women 5

Head coach Philip Doyle made 10 changes to the starting side after their historic World Cup win against New Zealand.

There’s a sign in the Irish dressing room that reads ‘The winning qualities of this team will be reflected by the standards we set’.

Ireland’s most capped women’s rugby player Lynne Cantwell said they were confident going into last night’s World Cup match that they could beat New Zealand and believe they can achieve more in the competition.

New Zealand 14 Ireland 17

The Irish Women's team have beaten the four-time World Champions New Zealand by 17 points to 14 in their World Cup clash in Paris this evening.

The Ireland Women's team to play New Zealand in the second round of the IRB Women's Rugby World Cup has been named.

IRFU WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP POOL B:

Niamh Briggs accumulated 18 points as Ireland outfought and outfoxed a physical USA team to begin the Women's Rugby World Cup in winning style.

Meet the women representing Ireland at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France, with the first match at 4pm this evening.

Irish rugby history could be made next month when Lynne Cantwell takes part in her fourth World Cup.

France 19 Ireland 15

The Ireland Women fell just short of a first ever win on French soil as the home side held on to win their first Six Nations title and Grand Slam since 2005.

Ireland’s Lynne Cantwell will win her 83rd cap in tomorrow’s Six Nations clash with Grand Slam chasing France.

Ireland 39 Italy 0

The Ireland Women kept their hopes of retaining the Six Nations title alive with a comprehensive 39-0 win over Italy in the first ever Women's international to be played at the Aviva Stadium.

England 17 Ireland 10

England Women 17 Ireland Women 10

Ireland 14 Wales 6

Ireland 50 Scotland 0

Ireland 59 Scotland 0

Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan is probably still smiling, having become the first Irish skipper to lift the Women’s 6 Nations title in Italy yesterday.

WITH ecstatic pride, player Lynne Cantwell summed up the historic success of Ireland’s women’s rugby team, Six Nations champions in 2013: “It’s the most incredible feeling in the world.

Italy Women 3 Ireland Women 6

Ireland Women 15 France Women 10

On a day when International Women’s Day was celebrated across the globe, the Ireland women’s rugby edged closer towards immortality.

RBS Six Nations Women's Championship

Six Nations Ladies

The IRFU have announced the structures and pathway which they hope will take an Irish women’s team to the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, and possibly the 2016 Olympics — but there will be no similar initiative in the men’s game.

England Women 23 Ireland Women 6

Ireland Women's coach Philip Doyle has made one change for the final game of this year's RBS 6 Nations against England as the team target a triple crown win.

Ireland’s women called upon endless reserves of defensive grit for the second week running as they defeated Scotland in Ashbourne.