Skipper Edel McMahon (left) and lock Ruth Campbell will be hoping Ireland can land a few blows on New Zealand (©INPHO/Ben Brady)
RICHARD BULLICK IN BRIGHTON
AFTER poking the Black Ferns bear twice, Ireland can expect a backlash of ferocious intensity when they tackle world champions New Zealand in front of a capacity crowd of over 30,000 in Brighton on Sunday afternoon (2.45pm, BBC2/RTE2).
Both teams are already assured of a place in next weekend’s World Cup quarter-finals after bonus-point victories over Japan and Spain, but there’s still plenty at stake in a showdown which will decide who tops Pool C.
New Zealand are by far the most successful side in the tournament’s history, having lifted the trophy a record six times, with their only defeat since the inaugural World Cup of 1991 coming at the hands of Ireland, who won 17-14 in Marcoussis, at France 2014.
More recently, Ireland pulled off another famous upset by beating New Zealand 29-27 on their WXV1 debut in Vancover last September, so the Black Ferns will be smarting for a revenge victory as well as a more favourable passage in the knockout stages.
Ireland have lost key players since their heroic triumph of a year ago, with the injured trio of Player of the Match Aoife Wafer, Erin King who also bagged a brace of tries last time, and another influential forward Dorothy Wall among the notable absentees.
Midfielder Enya Breen, the on-field captain by the end in Vancouver with skipper Edel McMahon having been replaced, and in-form Ulster back five forward Fiona Tuite aren’t being risked due to injury niggles with that all-important last eight tie less than a week away.
By contrast, New Zealand have strengthened in the meantime with the addition of several sevens stars and they look in ominous shape ahead of facing an Ireland team who conceded five tries in last Sunday’s 43-27 victory over Spain.
With the majority of the crowd expected to be behind Scott Bemand’s team, this will be the biggest support Ireland have ever had in a women’s rugby match as the ‘Green Wave’ which the players speak so passionately about continues to grow.
Those fans can help lift the team for what is set to be a daunting task and the calm leadership of McMahon and Sam Monaghan – both of whom have shaken off injury concerns ahead of this match – will also be important.
Now ranked fifth in the world, Ireland have made massive strides under Bemand these past two years but this will be a very different fixture from the 109-0 rout of Kazakhstan which began McMahon and Monaghan’s co-captaincy journey in his first game in charge.
Given the potency of this superb Black Ferns side and the nature of rugby, there is the potential for the scoreboard to turn ugly in Brighton unless Ireland can manage some effective defensive fixes from that win against Spain.
Frustratingly, Ireland are having to play in their alternative white jerseys due to World Rugby’s insistence on colour blindness best practice, but thankfully there should at least be a sea of green in the stands for this tie.
Brighton wouldn’t have the rugby tradition of Northampton, where Ireland’s first two group games last month were staged, but of course it did play host to a huge upset when Japan shocked South African at the men’s World Cup of 2015.
It is also a special place for Monaghan herself, for it was in Brighton the following year that the New York-born All Ireland Under 16 winner with Meath first picked up a rugby ball at the age of 23 having arrived there in 2016 and found no gaelic football team to join.
Along with being an incredible coincidence, it’s an absolute pinch-herself moment for big Gloucester Hartpury lock Monaghan to be back in Brighton jointly leading Ireland in a sold-out World Cup clash with the defending champions.
“It’s great that I get to experience this, with such a special team. This town means a lot to me, it’s where I first started playing rugby, where I first picked up this incredible sport, and only for the group I started playing with at Lewes RFC, I’d never be here.
“They were such a tight-knit community and really pushed me on to be better than I ever thought I could be. It’s a great town, an absolutely great venue for this special tournament,” enthused Monaghan after Saturday’s captain’s run.
Amee-Leigh Costigan (top) and her team-mates celebrate Ireland’s great win over New Zealand last September
A group of some 80 ex-Irish internationals arranged a reunion on the eve of the game in Molly Malone’s Irish pub, where Monaghan worked during her time in Brighton and she had the opportunity to catch up with her old boss there earlier in the week.
The Ireland team are staying right on the seafront of this popular resort, which was also playing host to World Cup hosts England’s game against Australia on Saturday, so there is a real rugby buzz this weekend.
The glorious early autumn weather the past couple of days has been perfect for fans arriving on the south coast, among them many family members of players including Sam’s American-based brother Stephen who will be getting to see her play live for the first time.
Some of the players were involved in a fan engagement event on Friday morning, there was the opportunity to sample the amusements on Brighton Palace Pier in the afternoon and then there was a special experience in the evening.
The Ireland squad went to see the band Kingfishr, whose song Killeagh has replaced Zombie – of which there was a rousing rendition in the Vancouver changing-room – as their post-match go-to at this tournament, who were appearing at a local record store.
“Just by chance, they were playing in Brighton last night which was amazing. It was an intimate gig, and a really special moment for us. I think we almost blew the roof off that place,” declared Monaghan as she spoke to the media at the team hotel on Saturday.
“Their messages are to inspire communities. And if you listen to the lyrics of that song, it’s all about community and how they can galvanise together and inspire people through their performances, which aligns really well with what we’re trying to do.
“The lads were great, they put on one of our jerseys and we all sang together and got a picture afterwards. I think those lyrics really hit home, they sing with such passion and pride, and hopefully we can play with that passion and pride on Sunday.”
Kingfishr can’t attend the match as they are playing a gig in Belfast, again a significant coincidence given that it was a trip there by her new rugby buddies during the 2017 World Cup which helped light Monaghan’s fire for the sport.
She couldn’t head over herself due to work commitments but enviously watching the videos made her realise what a special sport this is in terms of camaraderie. And thankfully she embraced the playing side as well as the social side.
Unrecognisable from those early days, Monaghan is now a back-to-back English Premiership winner after a spell with Wasps but her old team-mates from Lewes RFC will be there at this New Zealand game supporting Sam.
“Our families were there to greet us coming in from the captain’s run, there’s a lot of Irish support starting to arrive and it has been so special the last couple of weeks seeing so many green jerseys in the stadium (Franklin’s Gardens).
“The eruption of the crowd when Eve (Higgins) got her intercept try against Japan still gives me goosebumps. How much people having invested in this, taking time off work, booking flights and accommodation to come and support us. We really want to do them proud.
“There’s so much to play for on Sunday and that’s what’s really driving us. It’s for everyone, those who are here, the people watching at home, the kids growing up wanting to pick up a rugby ball. We want to inspire people and keep growing this Green Wave.”
Along with winger Beibhinn Parsons and scrumhalf Aoibheann Reilly, Monaghan missed the Vancouver victory over New Zealand due to injury – she tore her cruciate in last summer’s English Premiership showpiece – but this time she will be at the heart of the action.
There was some initial doubt due to a hip problem sustained in a heavy fall against Japan when she was lifted in a double tackle and dumped hard on the ground but thankfully Monaghan has come through and can’t wait for the challenge ahead.
“We were so incredibly proud last September but, to be so far away, you kind of felt distant from it. Christy Haney had the (other injured) girls round for dinner the next night and I joined them via Zoom!
“I’d have killed to be involved then but that just gives me a lot of ammo going into Sunday, knowing I get the chance to be out there. New Zealand is such an amazing team to play against, the world champions – you don’t get to do that every day.
“There’s such an excitement in this town, you can see what the World Cup is creating and it hopefully inspires the local rugby clubs and everyone at the games. I just feel very lucky the stars aligned that we could play down here in Brighton,” said Monaghan.
Ireland Player of the Year Aoife Dalton will be up against two-time World Cup winner and double Olympic champion Stacey Waaka
New Zealand have an eclectic mix of talent, not least in a star-studded backline where the legendary Portia Woodman-Wickliffe is on one wing and young sensation Braxton Sorensen-McGee on the other opposite Parsons and Amee-Leigh Costigan.
The experienced Renee Holmes is at fullback with captain Ruahei Deman wearing the No 10 jersey, while Ireland’s last line of defence Stacey Flood will be covering Dannah O’Brien as there is no other outhalf option in Bemand’s matchday 23.
The ever-present centre combo of Higgins and Aoife Dalton has been a big strength for Ireland in this tournament but, like the latter, the Black Ferns duo both made the World’s Top 50 female rugby players list ahead of this World Cup.
The 22-year-old Dalton and opposite number Stacey Waaka were both among the three outside centres chosen, but the 29-year-old Kiwi woman has incredible big game experience and amazing track record as a two-time World Cup winner and double Olympic medallist.
At times it will feel like Dalton and her colleagues are trying to hold back an almost unstoppable black tide, with the threats coming from everywhere, but the stats show that Ireland’s own attacking game has been very effective in this tournament.
Monaghan’s co-captain McMahon made a passionate pitch in relation to Ireland’s credentials sitting alongside Bemand at Friday’s team announcement press conference, just after hopes that taliswoman Wafer might make her comeback had been dashed.
Ireland’s victory in Vancouver showed what is possible, and many of the heroes from Marcoussis 11 years ago will be in the stands in Brighton proudly supporting the class of 2025, but New Zealand rightly go into this match as reasonably firm favourites.
IRELAND: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Costigan; Dannah O’Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Ellena Perry, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Sam Monaghan; Grace Moore, Edel McMahon (capt), Brittany Hogan. Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Niamh O’Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Eimear Corr-Fallon, Claire Boles; Emily Lane, Nancy McGillivray, Anna McGann.
NEW ZEALAND: Renee Holmes; Braxton Sorensen-McGee, Stacey Waaka, Logo-I-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i Sylvia Brunt, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe; Ruahei Demant (capt), Risaleaana Pouri-Lane; Chryss Viliko, Georgia Ponsonby, Tanya Kalounivale; Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Alana Bremner; Layla Sae, Jorja Miller, Liana Mikaele-Tu’u. Replacements: Vici-Rose Green, Kate Henwood, Amy Rule, Laura Bayfield, Kennedy Tukuafu (co-capt), Maia Joseph, Theresa Setefano, Ayesha Leti-I’iga.
Ireland fullback Stacey Flood practising her place-kicking ahead of a game in which she will also be covering Dannah O’Brien
Ireland taliswoman Aoife Wafer hasn’t made it back from knee surgery in time for the showdown with New Zealand (©INPHO/Ben Brady)
The leadership of co-captains Sam Monaghan (left) and Edel McMahon will be invaluable for Ireland in the big game
