Ireland’s women’s rugby team is preparing for the WXV Global Series with ambitious goals, eyeing a perfect five-win record across the tournament. Wing Anna McGann expressed confidence in the squad’s ability to capitalize on what she described as a significant opportunity to face elite international competition outside the traditional Six Nations format.
The Irish squad will begin their campaign against the United States at Tallaght Stadium on September 20, followed by two matches against Japan in Galway and Cork. Their schedule concludes with contests against South Africa in late October. McGann, who recently impressed during the Women’s Interprovincial series with Connacht, believes these fixtures represent crucial development opportunities as Ireland continues its progression in women’s rugby.
McGann acknowledged that facing nations outside the traditional Six Nations competition presents distinct challenges, yet maintained the team’s determination to achieve success across all five matches. She emphasized that recent performances in camp have been encouraging, with players entering the tournament at a higher level than they left the World Cup. The team remains motivated by their World Cup experience and views the WXV series as an essential stepping stone toward establishing Ireland among the world’s elite sides.
Under coach Scott Bemand’s leadership, Ireland has focused training on performance-based improvements in recent weeks. McGann stated the coaching staff has been pushing the squad hard as they prepare for the competition, reflecting genuine optimism about their prospects in the series.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
About the Author
