O’Dowd and Ireland eager to bridge gap between Six Nations and World Cup

O’Dowd is one of those who might struggle to abide by the ‘no rugby’ edict come next week, but then this is a woman who has made it her business to get places faster than the norm.

Ireland's Niamh O'Dowd. Pic: Laszlo Geczo/Inpho

When the final whistle blows at the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh on Saturday it will bring to an end Ireland’s latest Six Nations campaign, and mark the moment when attention turns inexorably towards the summer’s World Cup on the other side of Hadrian’s Wall.

Eventually, that is.