‘Unbelievable’ journey at an end as retirements set to spark new era

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.

All three are calling time on their lengthy involvement with the squad on the back of the display at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in France where they shocked the world champion Black Ferns and finished a record high of fourth.

They arrived home to a raucous reception of 200  or so screaming fans, but two of their number made directly from Paris to Cardiff. Work and college beckoned. Most of their colleagues will follow suit in the coming days.