It is not an overstatement to say that yesterday’s 17-14 victory over New Zealand at the Women’s Rugby World Cup was Ireland’s greatest ever sporting achievement.
In social terms Katie Taylor at London 2012, Packie Bonner at Italia ’90, the Grand Slam achieved by Ireland’s men, Stephen Roche’s triumph in the Tour de France may have been seen by more and stood the test of time through recollection but in pure sporting terms this eclipses them all.
New Zealand are not only the reigning World Champions but have been in each of the last four World Cup renewals. The last time they lost an international match at this level was in 1991, some 23 years ago when the team that beat them went on to win the World Cup themselves.
Edge
The Women’s World Cup has been held six times. This is the first at which Ireland has competed. It now stands on the edge of a semi final appearance. If they top the group with more points than either of the other group winners they will likely face New Zealand again in the semi final. If England or France sneak ahead on points difference then the semi final opponents will most likely be the other of that pair.
The games to date, and in the final stage of the groups have been played at the French Rugby headquarters in Marcoussin. For the semi final and final matches they move to the home of Stade Francais.
Hosting a Women’s World Cup is of course a major undertaking but it does not require as many stadia or logistics magic as the men’s version.
Platform
Yesterday’s performance should not only be seen as a magnificent achievement in itself but it should also be the platform for an Irish bid to host the next Women’s Rugby World Cup.
No host has yet been named. The tournament has previously been held in England, Scotland, Wales, the USA, the Netherlands and Spain.
Ireland has the capacity to host using the University of Limerick grounds and Thomond Park. It would prove to the world that we are serious about our commitment to sport at every level and across all groups. It could serve as a useful home based exercise for professionals involved in the potential hosting of the Men’s Finals in 2023.
Attention
Fears have been expressed that not everyone in Rugby is comfortable with the investment and attention going into the Women’s game and Sevens which is so far an exclusively women’s preserve when it comes to Ireland at the Rio Olympics.
Those fears can now be lessened. This team has put Women’s sport onto the front page. TG4 will see numbers soaring after their brave bid to show the tournament live. Regular rugby fans and players joined the elite in hailing the achievement and are hungry for more.
In an interview last night on Game On Hugh Cahill asked try scorer Alison Miller ‘So, are you going to win this thing?’. Without missing a beat she replied ‘That’s the plan.’
This is a team that has prepared brilliantly, held it’s collective nerve when the tide was against them and genuinely believes it can prove itself as the best team in the world.
We’ve never had that belief in an Irish team sport. To beat the world, and then to host the world. Wouldn’t that be a fine tribute to how far we have come in less than 100 years of our national independent history.
