Scott Bemand: Ireland now a different team to the one England hit for 88 points

Ireland face England in the Six Nations at Virgin Media Park in Cork on Saturday. 

"We're a better team than we were," said Scott Bemand about this Ireland side compared to the one which lost to England by 78 points last year.  Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand has declared that the team that faces England in Saturday’s Women’s Six Nations in Cork is a very different collective to the version that lost 88-10 when the sides met in Twickenham 12 months ago.

Ireland went into that with a modicum of momentum behind them having shown clear signs of rebirth in defeats to France and Italy and then a 36-5 win over Wales but they shipped 14 tries to the tournament’s giants in London in front of a crowd of just under 49,000.