Captain’s Message: Fryday Praises Support In Musgrave Park

Captain’s Message

It’s brilliant to welcome you back to Musgrave Park for our final home match of the TikTok Women’s Six Nations. There is no shying away from the fact it has been a tough couple of weeks for us, but your positive support here today, and indeed every day, does not go unnoticed and provides huge motivation for us as a squad, particularly at this juncture of our development and evolution as a team.

There has been a lot of outside noise and debate during this Championship but we spoke honestly and positively as a group at the start of this week about what matters. And for us, the focus has been entirely on what’s happening inside our four walls, as we work hard with the coaches, the medical team, the S&C staff, our nutritionist and everyone within the group who are putting everything into this. We are all on the same page, striving for improvement, betterment and a performance that we can be proud of.

Ireland’s Anna McGann takes a selfie with fans after the game – Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Ben Brady

Much of what is going on outside our environment continues to be unhelpful. As a playing group, we have everything at our disposal within the high performance unit, from a resources, facilities and staffing point of view, but we are at an early stage in our development. I know many of you understand and appreciate this, having shown enduring support no matter the result, and will continue to back us as we grow and learn. We will get there, I have no doubt about that, but it will take time.

And, significantly, to have the support of you here today means more than anything. To play on home soil, in a green jersey, and in front of family and friends. This is our journey, and we’re prepared to meet setbacks along the way, but we need each and every one of you behind us. That’s the Irish way.

Enjoy the match,
Nichola.