Ireland ready for battle against Wales as both in search for first win

The Irish camp confidence is high and there is certainty that the squad has come a very long way since last season’s meeting with the Welsh in Cardiff, an opening-round 31-5 loss from which their championship never recovered.

BATTLE READY: Linda Djougang, Sam Monaghan, Edel McMahon, Cliodhna Moloney and Lauren Delany are ready to hit the ground running as they search for first win in Six Nations. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Something will have to give in Cork this evening when Ireland and Wales do battle to get off the mark in this season’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations and for the Irish the need to succeed could not be more pressing.

For all the green shoots of recovery seen since the nadir of the 2023 championship wooden spoon, the new management led by Scott Bemand could really do with something tangible on a Six Nations scoreboard to rubber stamp the obvious progress of the last seven months.