New Era for Ireland Women’s Rugby
Ireland second row Dorothy Wall expresses excitement about the new dimensions brought to the team by the new Ireland women’s manager Scott Bemand as they prepare for the upcoming Six Nations tournament. The team is determined to bounce back from their challenging 2023 campaign, which ended with them receiving the wooden spoon and the departure of former coach Greg McWilliams.
Overcoming Past Disappointments
Wall, a forward for Munster, reflects on the disappointment of the previous year’s campaign and the process of regrouping and refocusing. She emphasizes the importance of taking time to recover emotionally and mentally after a tough season before diving back into training and preparations for the upcoming challenges.
“You definitely need a grieving period after something like that, just to be able to centre yourself, spend time with friends and family, do things a normal person would. With college and stuff, I had to check into that straight after the tournament. It was really hard picking myself back up and finding out what you know about yourself and the team; it’s definitely a process. When you are in those lows, the lowest of lows, the only way is up really.”
Building Momentum
Despite the setbacks of the previous season, Ireland enters the Six Nations with momentum, having secured three wins in the WXV tournament in November. Wall highlights the value of these victories in bringing the team together and boosting their confidence ahead of the upcoming challenges.
“We needed to remember what it felt like to win. Against Spain, we kind of had to grind that out, because they were the hardest of the three teams to play against. It was a month away, the whole squad together. We learned a lot, we trained really hard, it was like 42 degrees over there. People passing out, ice baths everywhere, you are just trying to survive the conditions. It was really tough, but so rewarding as well. It was a great trip for us. We are under no illusions the Six Nations is a very different best to WXV.”
Expanding Rugby Knowledge
Wall acknowledges the impact of Bemand’s coaching style on the team, noting that he has introduced new dimensions to their understanding of the game. She appreciates the emphasis on enhancing their rugby IQ and exploring different aspects of the game that they may not have previously considered.
“Scott’s made me realise there are a lot more dimensions to rugby than I was even aware of. It’s constantly expanding our rugby IQ, and asking questions and emphasising certain parts of the game that maybe we weren’t aware that were so important. It’s definitely a more rounded overall knowledge that he’s bringing to the game, and it’s been really important. It has been eye opening for a lot of us. We’re just continuously trying to take on board that information and bring it to training and then execute into matches.”
