Familiarity can be Ireland’s friend in Welsh encounter
After missing out on their second round clash with Italy, Ireland women’s co-captain Edel McMahon is hoping for a swift return to international duty against Wales in the Six Nations Championship at Virgin Media Park this Saturday (kick-off 4.45pm).
Having led the team out in the absence of fellow joint skipper Sam Monaghan for an away trip to France on the opening weekend of the tournament, the Clare native found herself outside of the match day 23 when the Italians paid a visit to the RDS on Easter Sunday.
While admitting it was disappointing to not be involved in Ireland’s first home game of 2024, McMahon responded by knuckling down in training to give herself the best possible chance of featuring in Cork on the coming weekend.
“Selection is what it is. Obviously we had our chat and I went away and went after training for the last couple of opportunities that I could to put my hand up for selection again. That’s the way it goes,” McMahon acknowledged.
“We had a good conversation about what that was and I was confident that the girls then were going to do a good job for us. It’s just how you carry yourself because week in, week out, we have to compete. We have to keep driving the standards. That’s where I went to.”
We will find out later on Thursday if McMahon is in line to pick up her 26th international cap as Ireland head coach Scott Bemand is set to unveil his selection for Saturday’s game at 12pm (noon).
If she does feature on the Leeside, McMahon will be coming up against some very familiar faces.
Of the 23 players that saw game time for Wales in a 46-10 defeat to England in Bristol last Saturday week, 19 of them are currently plying their trades at Premiership Women’s Rugby outfits.
McMahon plays in this English-based competition for Exeter Chiefs and in her first appearance of the 2023/24 season against Gloucester-Hartpury on December 16 of last year at Sandy Park, she was pitched into battle with five of that particular Welsh cohort.
Also included in the Gloucester squad for that game was the aforementioned Monaghan and current first-choice Ireland hooker Neve Jones.
Lauren Delany, Grace Moore, the uncapped duo of Shannon Ikahihifo and Andrea Stock, as well as the newly-recalled Cliodhna Moloney, are the other members of the Ireland set-up that play their club rugby over in England, and McMahon believes it is beneficial to be coming up against the bulk of the Welsh side on such a regular basis.
“I think it’s a familiarity piece. You can say that for a good few of the nations, but you play them week in and week out, so you feel more familiar with how they play,” McMahon added.
“You can pick out players, you can identify individual brilliance maybe or where they’re weak at. Or what you can go and target. I think that familiarity that we can bring into the squad will be only a benefit.”