“The Women’s Six Nations will be with us before we know it, so there is a lot of work to do and a lot to look forward to as well.”
That’s the word from the Welsh camp as they name a training squad well in advance of 2018.
Over in Ireland, after two months of hand-sitting, the IRFU has popped this up:
Job Vacancy: Ireland Women's Head Coach https://t.co/CIi08AGjHL pic.twitter.com/rMqz6ibmeI
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 17, 2017
It is good to see the union is finally getting a shake on and looking for a new head coach but the positivity ends there.
On the union’s site, we see the advertised role is for on a ‘part-time/casual’ basis for only six months. Part time. Casual. Get Ireland through the 2018 Six Nations, then we’ll talk.
It was only March 2015 when Ireland won their second Six Nations in two years. In the middle of all that, they defeated the world champions, New Zealand, at the 2014 World Cup. Tom Tierney followed on the good work of Phillip Doyle and then the wheels seemed to fall off.
Perhaps the union had their hands full with keeping hold of Joe Schmidt, re-engaging with Sevens and throwing resources into the World Cup 2023 bid. Whatever the reasons, Ireland Women went into a World Cup tournament they were hosting in no shape to win the thing.
While England, Canada and New Zealand took part in a mini tournament ahead of the World Cup, Ireland were playing friendlies against Japan. When the World Cup kicked off, they appeared rusty and unsure of their tactics.
There were murmurs of discontent from the camp and, during the event, we had Ireland player Ruth O’Reilly openly criticising the preparations in an excellent, frank interview with Gavin Cummiskey.
Ireland finished in a woeful eighth place and Tierney was soon on his way. Stalwarts Nora Stapleton, Maz O’Reilly and Ailis Egan all retired and there was not even a proper send-off for the women organised.
Every player seemed to want time and space away from the environment. That is understandable but what has taken the IRFU two months to come to the conclusion that Ireland Women’s pressing need is for a part-time coach on a six-month contract?
The next coach, whomever he or she may be, appears to be coming in on a trial basis. Ireland will have home games against Scotland, Wales and Italy but will be doing extremely well to challenge for the Six Nations with daunting away trips to France and England.
These internationals are being asked to invest so much of their time, energy and emotions into keeping Ireland competitive when their own union are taking a half-hearted approach to matters.
You would fully understand if several more Ireland players decided this was the final insult. That this was the time to walk away. That women like Claire Molloy, who works as an Accident & Emergency doctor in Wales and travels over to represent her country, simply said, “Enough”.
But that is to underestimate what representing Ireland means to each and every one of them. The legacy they want to leave to the next generation. The burning desire to right the wrongs of the World Cup. Last month, Leinster and Ireland lock Sophie Spence told us:
“We didn’t perform, which was unfortunate and very disappointing. It’s something that… I’ve got to keep going.”
They could walk away but most won’t.
It is a shame that their passion to make Ireland a great team again is not being matched by the union itself.
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