'ireland Can Still Improve Despite Opening Win'

Women's Rugby World Cup - Pool C: Ireland v Spain

Venue: Franklin's Gardens, Northampton Date: Sunday, 31 August Kick-off: 12:00 BST

Coverage: Live connected BBC Two, BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Sport website and app.

After each nan build-up and talk astir injuries and slow starts, it was encouraging to spot Ireland backmost making a people connected nan World Cup shape past weekend.

Given it was a 42-14 win, location were a batch of positives to return from nan capacity against Japan. The tries came early, nan prize constituent was secured earlier half-time and location were immoderate memorable moments for nan ample Irish support to savour.

It was a large crippled for immoderate returning stalwarts, too, pinch co-captains Sam Monaghan and Edel McMahon putting successful large shifts aft returning from injury. It was particularly large for Sam, who ran herself into nan crushed for 80 minutes not agelong aft returning from 13 months out.

Elsewhere, wingers Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Costigan scored a effort apiece, Dannah O'Brien showed a batch of power astatine fly-half - and was cleanable from nan kicking tee - and nan scrum grew into nan game.

Another bonus-point triumph connected Sunday and nan knockout stages will commencement to beckon, and reaching nan quarter-finals would correspond a important checkpoint successful this team's journey.

It would beryllium a gratifying return aft nan sacrifices these players person made and nan activity they person poured into changing this team's trajectory.

Even being connected a World Cup transportation past weekend, it was clear to spot really overmuch it meant, not only to those who were playing against Japan, but to everyone who has gone done nan turmoil of nan past 4 aliases 5 years.

The upturn successful performances, nan triumph complete New Zealand past twelvemonth and nan fearlessness pinch which they approached their first World Cup crippled successful 8 years. This is what happens erstwhile a squad is adequately supported by their union.

But while nan excitement astir nan squad continues to build, nan players and coaches won't beryllium getting carried distant conscionable yet. It wasn't a cleanable capacity against Japan and they will cognize location are issues to robust retired against Spain earlier nan expected excavation decider against New Zealand successful a fortnight.

The line-out will beryllium a large constituent of attraction successful training this week. It provided a bully level astatine times against Japan, but it was inconsistent.

Japan were not beardown capable to really punish Ireland successful this area, but it will beryllium a different communicative against nan apical teams. The likes of New Zealand, France and England tin beryllium perfectly ruthless here, truthful Ireland request their line-out arsenic an exit instrumentality wrong their ain 22.

At times, Ireland didn't summation capable territory from their shape play and location will beryllium a nickname that hardly gaining 10 metres from three, four, 5 phases will beryllium excessively energy-sapping against nan strongest teams.

There is ever a consequence to disrupting a winning formula, but Ireland request to build extent truthful it would not beryllium astonishing to spot a fewer changes for Spain. Dannah O'Brien and Aoibheann Reilly some acquitted themselves good successful nan half-backs against Japan, but it is excessively overmuch to expect nines and 10s to play 80 minutes each week.

Nicole Fowley has not been progressive successful caller matchday squads, truthful it would beryllium an opportunity to springiness her immoderate minutes while Scott Bemand has 2 different value scrum-halves successful Emily Lane and Molly Scuffil-McCabe successful lawsuit he favours a move astatine nine.

Aoife Wafer appears to beryllium closing successful connected her return from a knee injury, and while nan coaches will beryllium keen to get her progressive earlier nan New Zealand game, it is important for her to beryllium cautiously managed. If she does return against Spain and travel done unscathed, it would springiness nan squad a superior boost.

From watching them against New Zealand, it's clear to spot that Spain are speedy and fiery. Like Ireland, their backline is packed pinch Sevens players truthful that is going to beryllium an intriguing battle.

Spain will beryllium afloat of conflict aft losing to nan Black Ferns, too. Nobody really expected them to hit New Zealand but they will beryllium fired up to beryllium a constituent against Ireland.

And Ireland will not underestimate them. The 2021 World Cup qualifier and 2023 WXV3 crippled some went down to nan wire, pinch a triumph apiece, truthful Ireland do not request reminded really competitory Spain tin beryllium successful large games.

Finally, connected nan tourney arsenic a full truthful far, it is not difficult to spot why location is specified a buzz astir this World Cup.

England's triumph complete nan United States group a caller attendance grounds for a Women's Rugby World Cup lucifer pinch 42,723 fans. England showed why they are tourney favourites while Canada continued their exceptional form, which is moreover much awesome fixed their humble level of funding.

France did not precisely group nan tourney alight successful their triumph complete Italy, and while they are not short of world-class talent, I person reservations astir them. Similarly, New Zealand did not make nan aforesaid belief arsenic England aliases Canada, but I expect them to turn into nan tourney and highest astatine nan correct clip - possibly ominously from an Irish constituent of view.

But Ireland person already made a important belief connected their World Cup return and if they replicate nan strength and work-rate they showed against Japan, they should person excessively overmuch for Spain, mounting them up nicely for that breathtaking reunion pinch nan Black Ferns successful Brighton connected 7 September.