Ireland eager to put lessons learned from defeat to use at Twickenham

As for Ireland’s overall expectations for the championship, they centred around on home clashes.

Scrum coach Denis Fogarty, centre, speaks to players during an Ireland Women's Rugby squad training session. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile

Ireland will head to Twickenham for Saturday’s Guinness Women's Six Nations opener against England confident they can put the lessons learned from their 2025 defeat to good use against the world champions but having made three home wins their major objective.

Scott Bemand’s side will pick up from their World Cup quarter-final heartbreak against France in Exeter last September with the toughest of championship fixtures as they prepare to face the titleholders in front of a record Six Nations crowd of 70,000-plus this weekend. 

They also face a trip to Clermont in round three on April 25 that offers an opportunity for revenge seven months on from a controversial exit at French hands, and teeth, following an alleged bite on Aoife Wafer that went unpunished until a post-match citing. 

Ireland lost 18-13, though Axelle Berthoumieu was later suspended and missed France’s semi-final defeat by the English.

Yet it is the 49-5 Irish defeat to England at Cork’s Virgin Media Park that has been a big focus for Bemand’s squad in their preparations for this 2026 opener with scrum coach Denis Fogarty on Wednesday speaking of the hurt that still lingers from that day following a second-half pummelling.

Ireland had trailed only 7-5 at the half-time break before the wheels fell off, with the scrum coming under immense pressure but the Irish assistant believes his scrummaging unit is operating on a higher level this time around.

“Yeah, for sure. We've spoken about that,” Fogarty said. “That area has probably lingered around for quite some time.

“It's definitely hurt me and it's hurt the players and we've spoken about it, but I think post that and even our prep for the World Cup and in the World Cup, we've kind of moved that forward and we knew we needed to.

“Especially this week, they've really gone after this area to make sure and we don't let that happen again because it did have a big impact in the game.

“So they've prepped really well and we're confident going into the game that we won't make the same mistakes.” 

Fogarty also addressed the huge crowd expected at Twickenham as home supporters salute their World Cup winners following their final victory over Canada at the same venue.

“The occasion itself will be really big and obviously we're very much aware of the challenge that England will give us, but I think we've prepped really well. The big thing for us going out there is making sure that we can impose our game on the occasion as well, but we expect a massive challenge.” 

As for Ireland’s overall expectations for the championship, the assistant coach centred in on home clashes against Italy at Galway’s Dexcom Stadium in round two, the visit of Wales to Belfast in round four and a historic finale against Scotland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, the first standalone women’s match to be played at the home of Irish rugby.

“There was one goal for us, making sure we win all our home games,” Fogarty said.

“The last couple of years, I think we've only won two games in the Six Nations and it didn't feel right even speaking about that. We felt like we were better than that.

“So definitely our home games, and we looked at these occasions. I think it's really important that we make our mark in these games and not let the games go past us, even in the back end of the game. So we've spoken about that and, especially against England and France, we want to turn one of these teams over.

“That's the mindset going into it and obviously the home games will be really, really important for us overall.”