Coghlan adamant McDarby role can put rugby on right path
By Daire Walsh
Although the handing out of professional contracts to 15s players for the first time represents a massive leap forward, former Ireland captain Fiona Coghlan believes another recent development within the IRFU can have an even bigger impact for women’s rugby on these shores.
On the same day, it was announced that 43 centralised deals were to be offered to elite women’s players in Ireland, the union also revealed Gillian McDarby had been appointed as Head of Women’s Performance And Pathways. Speaking in advance of Ireland’s historic summer test series against Japan, Coghlan expressed her hope that McDarby will help create a clear route from minis rugby right up to the international grade in this role.
“I think the pathways piece is way more important because we need to build those numbers in order to make those contracts worth what they are. If you see it, there is huge potential for growth and opportunity here,” Coghlan remarked.
“I was over in Clontarf Rugby Club and they were doing the ‘Give It A Try’ programme for the summer there and they had over a hundred girls. If you transfer even 20% every year into then going through your minis, your youths and then up, you’re getting a huge number of girls in a lot of clubs around the country.
“How that all links together is really important because it has been very ad hoc over the last number of years.
“That is why I harp back to Gillian’s role and how important that is for the next generation of players coming through and that pathway they have.”
Another issue that Coghlan would like to see addressed in the near future is the consistent switching of players between the women’s 7s and 15s set-ups. After featuring in the opening three rounds of this year’s Six Nations, five of the latter squad returned to the sevens programme for the remainder of the tournament.
Given the 43 contracts being offered by the IRFU will be spread across the 7s and 15s codes, Coghlan is adamant a balancing act needs to be reached for those who remain intent on juggling both forms of the game.
“I think that needs to be looked at again. I thought it was a mess in this year’s Six Nations.
“While I think they can play across both, they can’t do it mid-tournament and they have to be playing 15s rugby for a certain amount of time throughout the year. Just to play them in a couple of games and take them out mid-tournament, I think that’s wrong for the development of the squad.
“I hope that is looked at very closely. Obviously the Sevens have a World Cup now in September and they’re looking for qualification for the Olympics.
“That has been their focus and the quality of players in that squad is huge. They’d be huge for the 15s squad, but not mid-tournament and there has to be a plan going forward about where they’re going to be used,” Coghlan added.