Wales, then the World, for Ireland's Molly Scuffil-McCabe

WORLD CUP: Molly Scuffil-McCabe goal is being involved in the World Cup. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Newport today, tomorrow the world? Not quite. Ireland’s women still have one more Six Nations tie against the Scots to take care of after this visit to Wales, but the focus is turning inexorably already to a World Cup that starts in August.

Scott Bemand’s side will start off their Pool C campaign with Japan and Spain in Northampton’s Franklin’s Gardens before migrating south for a mouth-watering clash with holders New Zealand at the home of Brighton & Hove Albion.

The game will happen roughly eleven months on from their meeting in Vancouver in the WXV1s tournament where Ireland stunned the Black Ferns and the wider rugby community by claiming a 29-27 win at the BC Place stadium.

Scrum-half for the Irish that day was one Molly Scuffil-McCabe who divides her time between Manawatu in New Zealand’s North Island, as she goes about seeking permanent residency, and her home town of Dublin.

The 26-year old has recently spent a short stint with the Hurricanes, which has given her a window into the Black Ferns structures and culture, so she has especially fond memories of the game in Canada and in particular, one hit on ‘Canes flanker Layla Sae.

“It was funny, Lay and I actually have a little bit of a joke about it. I caught her at one stage in the game. I train quite a bit with Lay. We do our conditioning running in the mornings together, although she’s a very early riser. She likes to get up at 5am and do her work. I know a good few of them now and they’re really nice people.

“The really nice, refreshing thing about them as well – I think it’s present here as well - but they don’t mind that I’m Irish. They know that we’re facing each other in a World Cup. They bring me in and welcome me into that environment. They just want to train hard. It has been really nice to be over there.” 

Scuffil-McCabe’s story is proof that life is never linear.

Hockey and horse racing were her first sporting loves but former Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan was her teacher in Lucan. That brought her to rugby, first as a sevens specialist and then to XVs where she started at full-back and wing before gravitating to scrum-half.

A law graduate who spent some time working as a legal review analyst, she changed course to study veterinary medicine but that has been paused for now as she concentrates on her rugby and gets by working as a receptionist or a lifeguard to make ends meet.

“My goal has always been World Cup and then looking past that, but I’ve put a lot of work into making sure that this World Cup is the one that I want to be involved in, and I want to see this team do well. That has kind of always been my why in the last two years.” But first, Wales. Then Scotland.