The IRFU has confirmed the appointment of Amanda Bennett, former Welsh Rugby International, Founder of FairPlay, a Governance and Development consultancy, to conduct an independent review into the preparation, participation and performance of the Ireland Women’s team during the recent Rugby World Cup 2021 qualifying campaign.

She will be joined by Kevin Bowring, a Director of UK Coaching, and Helen Philips, President of British Gymnastics on the independent review panel.

The IRFU said that “The overarching aim will be to learn from any issues that led to Ireland failing to qualify and to identify areas of improvement that will support future international campaigns.”

The review is scheduled to take eight to nine weeks and land probably just before or just after Christmas.

One of the key individuals whose performance will be assessed is National Team manager Adam Griggs who has announced he is stepping down after the upcoming series of November internationals.

The outputs from the review will also be fed into the wider structural review of the Women’s game which is taking place through monitoring the implementation of the 2018 – 2023 Women In Rugby Action Plan.

This review was established some months ago following a recommendation from the IRFU’s Women’s Advisory Group. The review group is chaired by John Robinson, Senior Vice President at the IRFU, and includes outgoing CEO Philip Browne and IRFU committee members Fiona Steed and Su Carty.

It has been a difficult period since the high of hosting the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2017.

The failure to qualify for next year’s edition in Australia will hopefully be a nadir and from which the Women’s side of the game can bounce back at national level.

The new emphasis on storytelling through the #NothingLikeIt campaign, and the positive work being done within the Energia AIL League and on the field with the Vodafone Women’s Interpro’s confirm there is a strengthening base.

What is needed now is the right map to thread together the different parts that are working and plot a path to a future where the sport is a genuine choice for young girls and a force on the international stage.

 

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