The national squad is now back into the swing of things. We had a training session two weekends ago in Alsaa, near Dublin Airport, and there were loads of new faces, which makes things exciting as places are up for grabs. The competition in trying to secure a place on the squad is something that drives players and increases standards. Yet in saying that, I do miss the girls that have retired; they are great friends made through rugby.
But what a weekend to be training outside – it was absolutely freezing! In the morning the pitch was like concrete. In fact it was so cold that even after the warm-up I still wasn’t ready to get going properly, and as a result I tweaked my hamstring. I had to step out for a while so as not to aggravate it more. Watching the session was tough because it was even colder on the sideline, and you are missing out on the coaches seeing what you are capable of doing.
The weekend was mostly about getting to know each other, but we also had a friendly game against England to look forward to, so we had a lot of organisation to do. The game, which will have taken place by the time you read this, was not a capped international and we were to be named as the Irish Presidents XV with a squad of 28, as the coaches wanted to see different players and different combinations. England, on other hand, were treating this as an international game and named a very strong and experienced side. It is hugely beneficial to have a game of this standard prior to the Six Nations.
For some reason I volunteered myself as fashion consultant for after-match attire. What a nightmare it is trying to find a jacket and skirt that suits 30 different-shaped women. It’s hard enough to shop for myself, never mind the rest! It was certainly tough work, but eventually I found something that everyone seemed happy with.
On the club side, training has finished up for the holidays, but we finished on a high note. After comprehensively beating Waterpark in a league game, we now sit at the top of the league table, 10 points ahead of our nearest rivals. However, our coaches weren’t happy to finish there. We had two intense training sessions in early December, but there was a buzz and confidence in the squad. We don’t play a league game again until March, so I hope we don’t lose the momentum we had built up. During the internationals there is a cup competition, but unfortunately anyone involved in the national side can’t play in it.
There have also been a few developments in women’s rugby overall. The IRB has appointed a women’s rugby development manager, as rugby bosses see this as a key area in the development of the game. It is a huge boost for the women’s game that the world governing body is putting a focus on it.
Susan Carty – former president of the Irish Women’s Rugby Football Union, and a team-mate of mine at UL Bohs – has been appointed to this new role. She has been fully involved in the integration of the women’s team to the IRFU so she is well aware of what is needed to see the game move forward. We wish her all the best in her new post.
In addition, qualification for the 2010 World Cup in London has been announced. Basically, the top four teams from the Six Nations qualify, and then the bottom two have a second chance if they win the Fira-Aer Europeans next May. So it’s simple for us – we have to finish top four in the Six Nations.
Our individual training over the Christmas period will step up another gear, as people have more time without club training and work to worry about. We have organised a few training groups for different days over Christmas, and some days we will be able to do two sessions. As a result, enjoying the festivities will be kept to a minimum. After all, it’s only six weeks till the Six Nations!
Fiona Coghlan is an Irish International rugby player. Her column appears every fortnight in Metro Éireann