Ireland look to back up positives in French defeat with win in Italy

Most of the Irish players were making a jump up in standards to the highest Test level from a Celtic Challenge tournament that is still failing utterly to stress test them in their iterations as Wolfhounds and Clovers.

SHOWING UP: Ireland came within two points of France in a second half performance where they fought hard and did not give up. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Guinness Women's Six Nations: Ireland 15 France 27 

Happy, or sad? If this were a multiple choice exercise then Scott Bemand and his Ireland players would be forced to choose one or the other. Real life is messier so there was a mixture of emotions as they reflected on this opening Six Nations defeat in Belfast.