Brittany Hogan was unaware that Ireland had secured a spot at next year’s World Cup in England, until after a thrilling 15-12 triumph over Scotland in the Kingspan Stadium. The game’s star player disclosed that head coach Scott Bemand had not communicated to her or her teammates about Wales’ earlier 22-20 victory over Italy in Cardiff. This outcome thwarted any chance for Italy to surpass Scotland for third place, granting them entry into the enlarged World Cup next year featuring 16 teams. Instead, it ensured that the contest between Ireland and Scotland was a winner-takes-all affair.
“It’s incredibly exciting,” she exclaimed. “We initiated the match determined to deliver a good performance, unconcerned about how the fortunes may swing post-match regarding our qualification. Our main focus was to accomplish this together.
“I am immensely delighted. I was informed about our qualification just prior to coming here and the news brought immense joy.
“We’ve encountered numerous challenges as a collective. Each one of us – management, players, absentees of today’s game and all our well-wishers – every individual’s contribution is invaluable.”
Despite trailing 5-0 at half-time, Ireland were a revitalised side after the break. Even though their lineout still proved shaky, they managed to significantly cut down on the mishaps that had cost them in a rain-soaked first half.
When asked about his half-time talk, Bemand responded with a chuckle: “Why hasn’t the intense pressure translated into points? Matches like these are indeed a test of mental fortitude, aren’t they? We did apply a dose of pressure initially. The girls did fantastically by navigating their way through. It was a 15-minute spell of ‘Ireland, Ireland, Ireland’ but no results.
“Therefore, we retreated to the changing room and addressed the situation calmly. We identified potential opportunities and some corrective measures we could take. On resuming after half-time, we managed to implement those changes successfully and commenced scoring points,” Bemand further explained, highlighting the proficiently executed try by 18-year-old Katie Corrigan within the initial minute of the second half.
Scotland has always had a formidable team, making the games challenging, yet the girls successfully navigated through the initial half without panicking. They regained momentum and the display showed a team possessing both charisma and resilience. Therefore, even when the odds are against us, finding a way to secure victory is feasible”, stated Captain Sam Monaghan. Overwhelmed with the victory, he commented, “I’m at a loss for words. I believe we gave it our all in the match.
“After suffering a major loss last week, it served as an impetus to fuel our fire. Navigating through this Six Nations was never expected to be easy. However, I carry a great deal of pride. We acknowledged during halftime that we were confident of winning the match, and such an attitude is essential for progressing towards the World Cup.”