Linda Djougang calling on Ireland supporters to come out in force
Loosehead prop Linda Djougang is hopeful that a passionate home support can inspire a big performance from Ireland in their daunting Women’s Six Nations encounter against England at Musgrave Park on Saturday afternoon (kick-off 2.15pm).
This will be the third time in the space of just over 12 months that Greg McWilliams’ side will have played in the Leeside venue, following a third round victory over Italy in the 2022 Championship and a comprehensive reversal to France in this year’s Six Nations on April 1.
An international debutant back in 2019, Djougang was speaking earlier this week as part of a ‘Never Settle’ campaign by Guinness that is aiming to help pack out Musgrave for the visit of the Red Roses. Ireland will be rank outsiders against a side who are chasing a fifth successive Six Nations title, but Djougang believes playing on home soil can make a difference to their on-field prospects.
“It’s always an honour representing your country, but playing at home you couldn’t ask for more. That last minute when you just hear ‘Come on, come on Ireland!’ Even when you’re wrecked, it just gives you that one per cent and sometimes it’s just that one per cent that you need,” Djougang said.
“We saw when we travelled to other countries, how hard it is to win a game away from home. Having that opportunity to play in Musgrave Park on Saturday, you can’t ask for more. I’m really excited and the squad is buzzing to play at home. We really want everybody to come out and just support the girls in green.”
Whereas England will be hoping to keep alive their quest for a 17th Grand Slam success since this tournament first began as the ‘Home Nations Championship’ back in 1996, Ireland are aiming to avoid picking up a Wooden Spoon for the first time in 19 years over the closing two rounds of the 2023 Six Nations.
Interestingly, nine of the match day 23 that McWilliams has selected for this game play their club rugby in England’s Premier 15s. This includes replacements Clara Nielson and Jo Brown, who were previously capped at senior level by England, but switched allegiances after a change in World Rugby’s eligibility rules came into effect last year.
Dublin native Lauren Delany is also based in the UK with Sale Sharks (for whom she is employed as a performance nutritionist) and she will make her second consecutive start at full-back on Saturday. Having previously gone 16 months without an international appearance, Ireland assistant coach Niamh Briggs has been delighted to see Delany taking her chance in this year’s Championship.
“She is such a brilliant character to have around the group. I think for the back line, when everybody is very young and inexperienced, Lauren is such a brilliant head on very mature shoulders,” Briggs remarked.
“Her communication is unbelievable and I love people like that, who have a huge amount of resilience. Get a lot of knock backs, in terms of selection and injury, and come back and put in performances.”
L Delany; A Doyle, A Dalton, V Irwin, N Behan; D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe; L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney; N Fryday, S Monaghan; B Hogan, G Moore, D Nic a Bhaird.
C Nielson, S McGrath, K Buggy, H O’Connor, J Brown, N Cronin, A McGann, M Deely.
E Kildunne; A Dow, L Tuima, T Heard, C MacDonald; H Aitchison, N Hunt; H Botterman, C Powell, M Muir; Z Aldcroft, S Beckett; S Kabeya, M Packer, A Matthews.
L Davies, M Carson, S Bern, D Burns, M Talling, L Packer, A Reed, H Rowland.