WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP: JOHNNY WATTERSONtalks to Ireland women's captain Fiona Coghlan about the changes on and off the pitch that have boosted the game here

TONIGHT THE Irish women’s rugby team will know precisely how far they have come in standard since the last World Cup four years ago in Edmonton. Since then the IRFU has taken the women’s game more protectively under its wing than it had done previously. From an affiliate of the IRFU, the team became full members three years ago and things have looked up.

Comparatively the women’s game is fledgling but from the makeshift teams of the 1980s to the current side shaped by nutritional guidance, weight training and a professional attitude, a more capable side has evolved.

The team remains amateur but there has been a sea-change in commitment.

“Prior to that (IRFU membership) you were staying on people’s floors,” says Irish captain Fiona Coghlan. “If you were training in Dublin all the country girls would stay on your floor. Then you’d train for three hours in the morning. You’d have half an hour lunch and train for three hours in the afternoon. You’d be physically and mentally exhausted. Now we’re in good hotels and everything is monitored, the length of time we train, the food. . . just a complete difference.

“Originally we were affiliated (to the IRFU) and all our expenses for away trips were covered but then full integration happened three years ago and it’s just taken another step since then.”

This evening in a leafy suburb of Surrey, Ireland can measure themselves against the hosts and favourites in their World Cup pool B, England.

They are the team that is currently setting the standards on this side of the globe. It’s as tough an opening match as Ireland could have asked for in a group that also contains the USA and Kazakhstan.

With three pools of four teams, the winners from each pool and the best runner-up go through to play in the semi-finals. All the teams are guaranteed five matches and in the end they will be ranked from one to 12. But Ireland facing a team they have never beaten at international level might be the hardest opening match of the competition.

In addition, the squad’s preparation was also hampered when coach Kevin West stood down at the end of May for personal reasons. At short notice Phillip Doyle, who had coached Ireland in the last World Cup, stepped in and since then the squad have had six weekend sessions.

“Kevin went at the end of May and Philip came in June with Shane Moore and Greg McWilliams,” says the captain. “It’s not ideal. It was unfortunate because we did quite well with Kevin. To be honest we’ve been unlucky with coaches over the last four years, we have had about four different coaches in the four years which is not ideal when it is a four-year cycle.

“People have jobs outside. They are not just coaches and that has to be taken into account. But Philip was involved in Leinster last year. He was involved in the Six Nations. He brought us to the last World Cup, he knows the women’s game. He knows a lot of players, he was the best we could have got in that situation and to be honest it’s gone really well.”

Coghlan began her interest in rugby at Castle Avenue, where her family were connected to Clontarf Rugby Club. But it wasn’t until she left Holy Faith, Clontarf and went to college at UL Limerick that she got the chance to compete. Now 29 and capped 53 times, she has been in the game for a decade and at loose head prop is one of Ireland’s most experienced players.

Most clubs now have development programmes for women but it wasn’t always that way and as well as stumbling upon the college team during Freshers Week on her way to studying PE and maths, Coghlan had to first win some minds and hearts before scrumming down.

“I’ve played since I was 18. At the time that’s when most people started because there was no underage rugby and it was predominantly played in college.

“But the girls are starting younger. When I started even my mam went ‘phew rugby’! It was just not seen as a ladies’ sport. At the start she was sceptical but God now you can’t keep her away from the matches.

“I suppose it was the fear of your daughter getting injured and it was a bit more acceptable if it was your son. I’ve had no injuries, I’ve been very lucky. I actually had more injuries playing Gaelic.”

Along with England, New Zealand (who are in a group with Australia, South Africa and Wales) are a leading side and are likely semi-finalists. Realistically if Ireland cannot pull off an opening shock they hope to qualify for the semi-finals as best runners-up in the pool. Last time out in Canada a physical American side defeated Ireland but they are better equipped now to deal with that muscular aspect of the game and have added some sophistication to their play.

The side have good set-pieces and Doyle says they are faster and more aware than they were four years ago. Even the scorelines against England have been coming down. Also playing at home in tandem with high expectations and being shown on Sky television, the whole package might just amount to some pressure and in its own way aid and abet Ireland’s plans.

“We’ve never beaten England so. . . if we played consistently for 80 minutes we would be capable of it,” says Coghlan. “They are favourites and rightly so but we’ve come so close to them. I don’t think they created anything (last time) but if you make a mistake they’ll pounce immediately.

“Then we’ve USA and we didn’t beat them in the last World Cup. I haven’t a clue about Kazakhstan. I’ve never played them. As far as I know they are army, very physical but I haven’t seen them play.”

Ireland were beaten by Australia 18-14 for the seventh place play-off four years ago, while England lost to New Zealand 25-17 in the final and France came third. If Ireland are to go a step further this year a good result tonight is imperative.

“It’s becoming harder to get into the top four,” says Coghlan, not without some optimism. The Irish captain sees the competition as an opportunity, not a burden and England as a challenge, not an impossibility.

“We have to be on top of our game,” she says. “But I think it’s within us to beat them.”

IRELAND (v England):N Briggs; A Davis, J O'Sullivan, L Cantwell, N Stapleton; H Brosnan, T Rosser; F Coghlan (capt), G Bourke, L Austin, K O'Loughlin, M Louise Reilly, O Brennan, C Molloy, J Neville.