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A Women’s Rugby World Cup to break all records!
Record attendances, record TV audiences. That’s the hype and narrative around the 10th edition of the tournament which starts in England on Friday, August 22 with Ireland making its return to the women’s global showpiece for the first time since 2017.
And it couldn’t come at a better time.
It’s been such a busy summer of sport at home and abroad so it felt like this World Cup was coming in under the radar but space will open up in August for the spotlight to fall on the Ireland team. Unlike the World Cup in New Zealand three years ago, this tournament will have more favourable kick-off times for TV viewers this side of the world and of course it will be easier for supporters to travel to Ireland’s pool games in Northampton and Brighton and whatever could come after.
It’s about as close to a home World Cup as you could wish for.
Of course, the last time Ireland played in a Women’s Rugby World Cup it actually was a home World Cup. I was at Belfield Bowl for Ireland’s games eight years ago and there was so much expectation going into that tournament. An Post even put players' faces on stamps in the build-up. Ireland finished second in that year’s Women’s Six Nations and three years earlier they pulled off one of the biggest shocks at a World Cup when they beat New Zealand 17-14 in the pool stage to qualify for the semi-finals. They lost to eventual champions England in the last four but still finished a sensational fourth place overall.
So no wonder there was a lot of excitement going into that home World Cup three years later. But 2017 just didn’t live up to expectations and Ireland ended up finishing eighth overall which was why they had to go through the qualifying process for the next World Cup in New Zealand and failed to come through those qualifiers.
What followed was a turbulent time for a few years for the squad. But with financial support and backing now with them, the transformation began.
There are many reasons to feel optimistic going to this tournament. Ireland have shown over the past year that they can mix it with the big teams. They started the 2024/25 season ranked 10th in the world and they finished it in fifth which is a sizable jump. When they sensationally beat New Zealand 29-27 in the opening game of the WXV1 in Canada last September the draw for the World Cup had yet to be made. When it was made in October and Ireland were drawn in the same pool as the Black Ferns it instantly became one of the stand-out pool games of this tournament.
The Black Ferns have an incredible record. They’ve only ever lost two games at a World Cup – they were beaten 7-0 by the USA in the semi-final in 1991 and there was that defeat to Ireland in 2014. They’ll have Ireland in their sightline after what happened in Canada. I recently did an interview with New Zealand star Ruby Tui and she admitted they perhaps got their tactics wrong for that game.
Put a circle around Sunday, September 7 now!
So in case you need a recap, Ireland will begin their World Cup against Japan at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton on Sunday August 24, next its Spain also in Northampton a week later, and then it’s what’s set to be the pivotal pool C game against six-time World Champions New Zealand in Brighton on Sunday, September 7. The top two from each pool go through to the quarter-finals, so it will obviously be a more favourable draw if Ireland finish top and that’s what they’ll be aiming for.
New Zealand come to England as the defending champions. They’ve a knack of getting their form just right for World Cups – just look at three years ago when even though they were the hosts and defending champions, England were strong favourites for the final but the Black Ferns won a cracking contest 34-31. All the pressure is on England with the hosts looking to win the World Cup for the first time since 2014 and win it for the third overall.
But back to Ireland. Scott Bemand’s side made big strides in the 2025 Six Nations including dominant wins over Italy and Wales and that first half performance against England in Cork. Undoubtedly it ended on a low note with a 26-19 defeat to Scotland in Edinburgh but it was a lesson in adversity for this young team.
The real bum-notes are the players who won’t play in this World Cup. The injured Dorothy Wall and Erin King are just huge losses to this squad after the injuries they picked up during the championship. And the fingers are firmly crossed that Aoife Wafer, who had to have a knee procedure recently, will be back for one of the opening pool games. Losing her would be unthinkable. The squad will have class players returning from injury like co-captain Sam Monaghan and Béibhinn Parsons.
Preparations for a World Cup are never going to be perfect. It’s rare every squad will have every player fit. There’s a chance for the national team to shine on the world stage again. And they’ll want to make the most of that.
Let the games begin.
Sinéad Kissane will be covering the Rugby World Cup for the Irish Independent.
