The coaching conveyor belt propelling Ireland's World Cup bid

The roster of coaches at the Irish women's rugby team's disposal is filled with the kind of experience and knowledge that is vital when so much is at stake

Assistant Backs & Attack Coach Larissa Muldoon is one of those women in a coaching brief. Pic: Ben Brady/Inpho

Attendances are up at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, and standards with them. If there have been far too many blowouts across the pool stages then no-one seriously doubts the fact that the game is travelling in the right direction.

World Rugby have been eager to say as much. It started long before a ball was kicked or thrown. Among their early communications was the surge in the number of women on coaching staffs which, like other team sports, can still be dominated by men.