Women’s Rugby World Cup: Ireland still have improvements to make despite opening win – Nichola Fryday column

From watching them against New Zealand, it’s clear to see that Spain are quick and fiery. Like Ireland, their backline is packed with Sevens players so that is going to be an intriguing battle.

Spain will be full of fight after losing to the Black Ferns, too. Nobody really expected them to beat New Zealand but they will be fired up to prove a point against Ireland.

And Ireland will not underestimate them. The 2021 World Cup qualifier and 2023 WXV3 game both went down to the wire, with a win apiece, so Ireland do not need reminding how competitive Spain can be in big games.

Finally, on the tournament as a whole so far, it is not hard to see why there is such a buzz around this World Cup.

England’s win over the United States set a new attendance record for a Women’s Rugby World Cup match with 42,723 fans. England showed why they are tournament favourites while Canada continued their exceptional form, which is even more impressive given their modest level of funding.

France did not exactly set the tournament alight in their win over Italy and while they are not short of world-class talent, I have reservations about them. Similarly, New Zealand did not make the same impression as England or Canada but I expect them to grow into the tournament and peak at the right time – perhaps ominously from an Irish point of view.

But Ireland have already made a significant impression on their World Cup return and if they replicate the intensity and work-rate they showed against Japan, they should have too much for Spain, setting them up nicely for that exciting reunion with the Black Ferns in Brighton on 7 September.