The countdown to the Six Nations is on Well the countdown it on. On Friday 1 February at 2.30pm in St Mary’s, Templeogue, we kick off our Six Nations with a match against Italy.
Preparations have been going well. Two weekends ago we played a touring USA side. Unfortunately they didn’t live up to expectations and the final result was a cricket score. However it did give us an opportunity to try some new combinations and different moves which will hopefully pay off during the Six Nations.
On the Monday morning, the final 22-woman squad for the Six Nations was announced. There were a few surprises, with the likes of Laura Guest not making it (although she is only 22 and has been around the squad for the last number of years – I have no doubt she will feature again in the Irish jersey). I am delighted for Gillian Bourke, a club-mate who has battled back from concussion to win her place.
This weekend just gone saw our final preparations. On Saturday we were based out in Ashbourne RFC in Co Meath and they pulled out all the stops to make us feel at home. This is a junior club with excellent facilities and the pitch is second to none, but it was the members that really made us feel like superstars for the day.
A number of the club members even had their families up to get pictures and autographs. It was a bit weird for us as we aren’t normally asked for our autographs, but it was great and gave us a bit of a boost.
Also on Saturday morning we got all our new gear. It was like Christmas all over again, opening wrappers, trying things on to make sure everything fits. It gives you an added bond when you are all wearing the same stuff; it makes you feel like a team.
On the pitch, training was very intense. We looked specifically at the tackle area and it was clear people were out to stake a claim for a starting spot. It is great to have Geri Healy back to full fitness, and she was putting in some monstrous hits.
That evening we had a surprise meeting with our sponsors, as they presented Sarah Jane (our captain) with the new jersey for the season. We are indebted to Anglo Irish Bank for their continued support of the women’s game. This is their third year with us and it is from their commitment that has helped us progress on the pitch.
After dinner we headed for the Leisureplex to do some bowling; if we are competitive on the pitch, we are just as competitive off the pitch! We were split into teams and everyone was trying to get one over on each other. One sneaky team even got the learner barriers put up in the lane gutters, but they were so bad they still didn’t win. Louise Austin, one of the new caps, was absolutely brilliant – if she doesn’t make it as a rugby player, she definitely has a future in bowling!
On Sunday morning we were up bright and early for the team meeting we didn’t have the night before. Then we made our way to the familiar grounds of St Mary’s, where the starting 15 for the Italian game were ann-ounced, an experienced squad with no new caps. It is great to have Tania Rosser back again; she missed last season as she was on maternity leave but she is back to her best with baby in tow.
For the remainder of Sunday we focused on our game plan and what we wanted to implement, as well as looking at areas where we wanted to stop the Italians. From last year we know that they are quite effective at the kicking game, so we needed to look at how to counter attack this. Also, the Italians were very physical, so we are very aware of what awaits us next Friday. It is a must-win game for us and we will have to be at our best to beat the unpredictable Italians.
Fiona Coghlan is an Irish International rugby player. Her column appears every fortnight in Metro Eireann
