Bemand Praises Debutants For ‘Really Strong Showing’

Head coach Scott Bemand reserved special praise for the four debutants who played their part in Ireland’s 36-10 defeat of fifth-ranked Australia in Belfast.

Second row Ruth Campbell was heavily involved throughout, featuring for the full 80 minutes as she hit countless rucks and impressed as a lineout jumper, winning four of Ireland’s throws and stealing three of Australia’s balls.

Vicky Elmes Kinlan almost scored with a powerful first charge on the right wing, and fellow Paris Olympian, Erin King, and Munster prop Siobhán McCarthy both came off the bench with plenty of physical intent, either side of the hour mark.

Along with incoming coaches Alex Codling, Hugh Hogan, Gareth Steenson, and Maz Reilly (World Rugby coach intern) quickly getting up to speed, the new players have also made a very good first impression as they adjust to what is required of them at Test level.

“We’ve got a new crew, a new crop of players coming through. Some youngsters coming through, some of the Sevens girls coming back,” explained Bemand, fresh from overseeing Ireland’s third win in four matches.

“Probably the biggest thing today is about growing our wave, growing our groove. Growing and understanding what we’re trying to do. We’ve had two weeks together. Obviously post-Olympics, people have got to have breaks.

“We get them back in for two weeks and I think we’ve moved our performance level on from what it was in the Six Nations. Now we’re starting to look like we can fire some shots.”

With their attack particularly potent, this was the Ireland Women’s first victory over one of the world’s current top five teams (England, New Zealand, Canada, France, and Australia) since the 2017 Rugby World Cup pool game against the Wallaroos in UCD (19-17).

In addition, their six-try haul represents the most tries they have scored against a side in the world’s current top 10 since touching down seven times in their 2021 Six Nations opener against Wales.

New forwards coach Codling, a lineout specialist, would have been particularly pleased with how Ireland went on their own throw, with 13 lineouts won for an 87% return. The last of them delivered a last-minute maul try for replacement Cliodhna Moloney.

“The debutants were great. Ruth is full of bang and gusto, she’s in everything. Her lineout skills, her lineout capability is excellent,” Bemand told TG4.

“Vicky gets some really good moments on the ball. Couple of times we were wishing to come out the other side of the defensive line, and just when we took her off actually, she’s on the ball and gets a turnover. It’s a pretty strong start from her as well.

“We’ve got people that we’ve got to see, we’ve got people that we’ve got to know before we announce our squad for WXV1. So, a really strong showing from all the debutants really.”

Along with that uncapped quartet, Old Belvedere prop Niamh O’Dowd stepped up for her first senior start for Ireland, and there were new combinations tested out in the back-three, where Eimear Considine made a try-scoring return, and across the pack as the game wore on.

When speaking about the impact of the bench on their 2024/25 season opener, Bemand mentioned McCarthy, who returned to play for Munster in the recent Interpros but this time as a prop.

“Probably what we’ve not always had is firepower. So you look at what we bring off the bench today, we made a raft of changes in one go, like the South African lads maybe! They elevated the game.

“It’s really important for us. We understand that we’ve got to start games well. When the ‘finishers’ come on, they’re doing a job. They’re coming on to finish the game and elevate it away from an opposition.

“‘Shiv’, Siobhán McCarthy, who is a recent convert to prop, has come on. First thing, she’s solid in the scrum, she gets a brilliant breakdown clear and we score.

“Anybody that came on today, I think was outstanding. There’s some really positive moments from everybody that’s had a first taste of this today.”

A two-time Interprovincial Championship and All-Ireland League winner with Munster and Railway Union respectively, the 28-year-old McCarthy was a highly-rated second row when she moved to England in 2022 to play with Worcester Warriors, who were led back then by current Australia head coach Jo Yapp.

The returning Sevens players gave Ireland’s attacking play a significant boost, especially during the second half when a flurry of replacements saw Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, King, and Stacey Flood all enter the fray with half-an-hour remaining.

Back from their break following the Olympic Games, the availability of five of the Sevens stars is a real boost for the 15s side in this block, especially with Béibhinn Parsons, Katie Corrigan, Aoibheann Reilly, and Natasja Behan all unavailable through injury, and Lauren Delany now retired.

Centre Higgins, who scored Ireland’s fourth try, was ever-present during the Six Nations earlier this year, while Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Flood last played for the 15s team in 2022, and scrum half Lane was most recently involved during the 2021 Rugby World Cup qualifiers.

Assessing how the dual internationals fared on their return, Bemand admitted: “You almost can’t single any one of them out. You look at how many touches Leigh got. Vicky just before she came off got a turnover when we were on the back foot just outside our 22.

“Erin comes on and just runs like she wants to score every time she touches the ball. It’s unbelievable. Emily Lane took the tempo up. Eve starts freeing up space on the edges.

“Stacey is beating people on kick-return and putting Leigh away. It’s just fantastic to have that firepower. We’ve had two weeks together. It’s not a lot of time.

“We think there’s still more to come from this group. We’ve left points out there. So for us and where we want to keep going, we’ll keep going after our own green wave of performance. We want it to be up there, but we know there’s still a bit to come.”

The hugely entertaining encounter, which kicked off Irish Rugby’s 150th Anniversary celebrations, drew an attendance of 3,576 to the home of Ulster Rugby.

Building on what they achieved last season, the Ireland Women managed to extend their winning run at the Belfast ground to three matches following victories over Scotland in 2022 and just last April.

The challenge now for Bemand’s charges is to take that form on the road, and put it up to some of the world’s best during their maiden WXV1 campaign in Vancouver. It all begins with a September 29 showdown with New Zealand.

“It’s great to bring another winning performance back to Ireland. We said we wanted to take people along with us. To come up here, play fifth in the world, they are a good team. Australia are a tier 1 nation.

“Being able to bring them to Ireland and put a performance there that gives the crowd something to get behind. Give the Irish public something, that they can see that we are moving forward and (have) something to cheer for.

“It felt like an exciting game and I’m delighted for the girls that some of the things we are starting to work on, and want to implement, are starting to see a bit of fruit,” he added.