The perfect opportunity for Ireland to start writing themselves a new history

Eimear Considine will earn her 24th cap for Ireland in Saturday's Six Nations clash against Wales, making her the most experienced player in the Irish selection.

ANYONE expecting Ireland to repeat last year’s 45-0 rout of Wales in today’s Tik Tok Six Nations opener in the RDS (4:45pm) has no idea of the raging torrent that has passed under the bridge since.

Wales may have finished sixth in last year’s competition but since then have acquired a new coach (Ioan Cunningham), put 12 players on contracts and made another handful part-time since Christmas and, unlike their hosts, are headed to the World Cup in October.