Aoife Doyle: ‘I’m just very motivated now to take my opportunity’
Following a stop-start career to date in the 15-a-side code, Limerick native Aoife Doyle is hopeful today’s autumn Test against Japan (RDS, 3pm) can be the start of an extended run with the Ireland women’s rugby team.
After playing her part in helping the Irish to secure a Six Nations title in 2015, Doyle subsequently switched over to the IRFU’s Sevens programme. She eventually returned to the 15s grade at the beginning of 2020, featuring in her country’s opening three games of that year.
A combination of the pandemic and a series of injuries have kept her out of the international frame for the past 21 months, but she is restored to the right-wing for the visit of the Japanese to Dublin.
“It has definitely been a crazy journey. I’m just very motivated now to take my opportunity that I’ve been given on Saturday. Because being out of an Irish jersey makes you want it that little bit more. I’m very excited to take my chance,” Doyle explained in advance of picking up her seventh cap.
“I’m constantly going well in training and then get hit with an injury. For us, we don’t train every day. If you miss a weekend, you miss five sessions and it’s just too much. Staying fit and consistently performing in training, that’s what I’m going to be focusing on coming into the Six Nations next year.”
As one of eight changes from the side that started last Friday week’s 20-10 win over the USA in the same venue, Doyle joins the UK-based duo of Lauren Delany and Laura Sheehan in the back-three. Although Beibhinn Parsons and Stacey Flood are completely rested for this game, Sene Naoupu and Eimear Considine retain their spots in the Irish midfield.
With Laura Feely named at loosehead prop – and Katie O’Dwyer offering cover on the bench – it now seems likely the USA test was Lindsay Peat’s final appearance in the green jersey. Today’s game will definitely be an international swan song for team captain Ciara Griffin, who surprisingly announced her retirement from Irish duty earlier in the week.
Doyle has known the Kerry woman since their time together with the Munster U18s and is well acquainted with head coach Adam Griggs, having worked with him across the 7s and 15s programmes.
This is also his final fixture in charge of Ireland before Greg McWilliams assumes the reins and Doyle will be sad to see both Griffin and Griggs departing the international set-up.
“I’m very close to her [Griffin]. She brings me up and down from Limerick to camp. She’s just a very selfless, nice person and then on the pitch she’s a leader. When she speaks everyone listens. We’re losing a great friend and a great leader,” Doyle added.
“Adam brought me back into the squad two years ago. I had left the Sevens programme and he said he had watched a couple of my AIL games. I was grateful to him for giving me an opportunity to come back into the 15s game.
“I worked closely with him in 7s as well, so I knew him a bit better when I came into the programme. I really enjoyed him as a coach and I liked working under him at camps.” While Griggs has resisted the temptation to throw any uncapped players into the starting line-up against Japan – who, unlike Ireland, have qualified for next year’s World Cup in New Zealand – the trio of Mary Healy, Shannon Tuohey and Ella Roberts are expected to make their international bows off the bench.