Women’s Six Nations 2026: Ending tournament with two home wins will be ‘huge’ for Ireland – Gareth Steenson

Ireland kicking coach Gareth Steenson says closing out the Women’s Six Nations with two home wins would be “huge” for the squad after last weekend’s deflating defeat by France.

Chasing a first win on French soil, Ireland had three tries disallowed during a dominant first-half display in Clermont on Saturday before the hosts seized control after the interval to win 26-7.

Ireland host Wales in Belfast on 9 May before welcoming Scotland to Aviva Stadium on 17 May having hammered Italy 57-20 in their first home game in Galway.

“We make no bones about it, three home wins was the goal at the start and go over and maybe put in a big performance and try to nick one away from home,” Steenson told BBC Sport NI.

“It’s got to be where the group’s at. You’ve got to want to go and win. The capabilities are there.

“I think the way the fixtures have fallen. England first up, it was good to play that big game and get us into that competition to see where we’re at. Then we go to Galway and put in that performance against a good Italian team, scoring seven tries in the first half. Conditions were difficult but we adapted really well to it.

“And then to put the fight up that we did [in France], it kind of lined up that you needed two good Test matches to go into what was effectively as tough a game as those girls have experienced.

“The week off has come as good timing for us. We can probably touch up on a few things leading into the Wales game in Belfast. We hope we get a good support out there because the girls are playing a really good brand of rugby and they’ve been feeding off the crowds.”