Bemand: Interpros Have Battle-Hardened The Players

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand feels that the early season staging of the Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championship has helped to ‘battle-harden’ most of his squad ahead of their upcoming Test matches.

For the third time in four seasons, the Interprovincial Championship was run off between August and September, allowing players to get some initial game-time under their belts ahead of international campaigns like last year’s WXV3 title win in Dubai.

A third place finish in the Guinness Women’s Six Nations means that the Ireland Women (sponsored by Aon) move up to WXV1 later this month, competing with the likes of New Zealand, tournament hosts Canada, and the USA.

Before that, Bemand’s side will have the honour of launching Irish Rugby’s 150th year celebrations by playing Australia at Kingspan Stadium on Saturday week. The Belfast venue also played host to last weekend’s Interprovincial finals day.

21 members of Ireland’s extended 35-player squad, which was announced last Thursday, played for their provinces in recent weeks, including the uncapped Sophie Barrett, Ruth Campbell, Siobhán McCarthy, Alana McInerney, Robyn O’Connor, Chisom Ugwueru, and Katie Whelan.

Highlighting how important accumulating those match minutes is heading into the international window, Bemand said: “It was nice to see some really competitive matches in the Interpros. Tell you one thing it does give you is it’s four games for players that played it all, and it battle-hardens you.

“It’s a few years ago now since I played, but you’d always come back and you could be as fit as anything in pre-season, until you play your first game you forget how tiring rugby is.

“It battle-hardens you. We noticed it last year in WXV3 in Dubai, those that had played the Interpros definitely went into the competition more robust, more resilient to the bumps and bruises that rugby can give you.

“It actually gives us an opportunity really to put our best rugby out there because we won’t all be sort of playing that first game back.”

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Established internationals like Linda Djougang, Brittany Hogan, Aoife Dalton, and Méabh Deely started all four games for their respective provinces, while Aoife Wafer, Niamh O’Dowd, and Dannah O’Brien all got back on the pitch during the latter rounds, helping Leinster to retain the title.

Edel McMahon, one of Ireland’s co-captains from last season, came back from Exeter to make her first two appearances for Connacht since 2019. She played her part in a winning finish to the competition for the westerners.

McMahon said she was ‘buzzing and very proud’ to be back where it all started for her, having worn the socks of her old clubs, Galwegians and NUIG, on Connacht’s ‘State of Origin’ match day against Munster.

As well as rewarding Munster winger McInerney’s fine form as the Interpros’ top try scorer with seven tries, Bemand also brought in training panellists Faith Oviawe, Hannah Clarke, Jane Clohessy, and Caitríona Finn on the back of their performances during the tournament.

Unfortunately Clohessy has returned home after picking up a knee injury during Munster’s final defeat to Leinster. Deely will miss the Australia game having injured her ankle in action for Connacht against Ulster, with the experienced Eimear Considine called up as injury cover.

“The levels of physicality last weekend probably stepped up a bit again, which always keeps us on our toes when we’re trying to come through a finals day before going into a competition,” admitted Bemand.

“There’s a couple of dings, a couple of bumps and bruises. We’ll square that off this week, but nothing too serious hopefully.”

The Hereford-born coach believes they have got the right mix of youth and experience across the squad, as the Ireland Women prepare to face the Wallaroos first up, and with new coaches Alex Codling (forwards), Hugh Hogan (defence), and Gareth Steenson (kicking) now on board.

Bemand and his Sevens counterpart Allan Temple-Jones continue to work hard together for the betterment of both programmes, and the aligement between both squads is an important strength heading into WXV1, the HSBC SVNS Series, the Six Nations, and next year’s Rugby World Cup.

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Ahead of the trip to Canada, Bemand’s selection options have been boosted by the availability of five 2024 Olympians, including record Ireland Sevens try scorer, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, and Eve Higgins who was ever-present at outside centre during the 2024 Six Nations.

“It’s a brilliant blend (in the squad). We’ve got some experience, some returning experience with Eimear Considine coming in.

“It was a couple of years since she was last capped, but she’s been going well for Munster and has been showing bits in training that we’ve been able to see.

“You’ve got some of the youngsters coming through. As a centralised programme, we’ve had Hannah Clarke and Robyn O’Connor in for a bit. Been able to see how they go, and they’re shaping up great. Keeping some of the more experienced girls on their toes.

“How we use the Interpros and how girls coming back in from either the UK or what have you, it creates an opportunity now for us to have a couple of weeks where we can really nut down and compete and earn a place on the plane to go to WXV1.”