'We had to really dig hard': Ireland seal quarter-final spot as Djougang hits 50 caps

After two wins from their two World Cup games, Ireland will move their training base to the English south coast before the meeting with New Zealand in the final pool stage match. 

Against Spain, Linda Djougang became the first Irish women's player to reach 50 caps since Nora Stapleton in 2017. Pic: ©INPHO/Dan Sheridan

Ireland’s Linda Djougang celebrated her 50th Test cap as she helped her side reach the World Cup quarter-finals and predicted her team-mates would be following her in quick succession to reach the milestone.

The 29-year-old became the first Irishwoman to reach a half-century of Ireland appearances since Nora Stapleton accomplished the feat at the 2017 World Cup as Spain were beaten 43-27 at Franklin’s Gardens on Sunday afternoon.

The victory, Ireland’s second bonus-point pool win in as many matches, secured a place in the last eight with a game to spare, and while the tighthead prop admitted there was much to improve on ahead of their final Pool C game against defending champions New Zealand in Brighton next Sunday, she said it was appropriate to celebrate their achievement.

Wearing her green 50th cap, Djougang said: “A tough game today, oh God, we had to really dig hard. We just really wanted to win and get ourselves to a quarter-final, and it's exactly what we did.

“And even to make it more special again, my 50th cap, doing that is so much more special, something that I will definitely remember for the rest of my life and especially sharing this moment with the girls, I couldn't ask for a better opportunity to be able to lead them.

“The energy is just buzzing. The atmosphere is buzzing. We're happy, but also we have so much to learn from this game.

“It wasn't easy, so we enjoy today and then focus on next week because we know what's ahead of us.” 

Djougang had emerged from an Ireland dressing room that moments before had been chanting “Go Linda” in celebration at her achievement but the woman of the hour paid tribute to those team-mates for getting her to this point.

“It was amazing, honestly, the girls, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for them. They guided me, they supported me through the ups and downs, and from my first jersey to this number, I wouldn't be standing here if it wasn't for them.

“So this is not just for me, it's for them too, because it's been a journey that we've all been through and honestly I wish this for them, but even for them to go above this number because they deserve that.

“Irish women's (rugby) is definitely growing. I haven't played with a player that (has) celebrated a 50th cap, so for this group to have this opportunity to celebrate this with them, it's just showing them and hopefully inspiring them that, you know what, all of them are getting this cap soon. So, proud of us, proud of me, and the journey is just continuing.”

Ireland move training bases from the Northamptonshire countryside to England’s south coast ahead of their clash with the Black Ferns in Brighton next Sunday with morale on a high after securing that quarter-final berth.

“I think we're all soaking it in. The World Cup is so special, so I think that it's so important for us to celebrate our win. No matter how we get it, it's important for us to regroup and celebrate the week, the hard work, the hard training that we did, but also enjoy the win.

“And then we’ll move on. We’ll go and do analysis. We’ll fix the wrongs, that's what we do and we focus on the next game next week, so that's really important for us.”