Nicole Cronin and the art of reinvention

The Irish out-half is learning on the job in her new role with the national squad

Nicole Cronin: "We have to appreciate that five other teams in this Six Nations have another goal. Their goal is to go to the World Cup and do well. They’ve qualified and we haven’t, so our goal is to be in a pretty good situation come the start of next year."

In Nicole Cronin’s own words, she’s “in the hot seat” now and wants to hold on to it, even if the onerous new role she’s filling is one to which she initially didn’t warm.

The pint-sized Irish fly-half is only five foot tall, weighs less than eight stone and, at 29, still looks young enough to have to bring her ID on nights out.