Belief replaces doubt as Bemand and Ireland bid to prove growth against Italians
HAPPY 21st: Dannah O’Brien has been rewarded with cap 21 at number 10 for the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi clash. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher
Through Scott Bemand’s lens, his Ireland squad set to face Italy in Parma on Sunday have come on leaps and bounds since their home defeat in last year’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations.
That may seem obvious given the results the Irish women have recorded over the last 12 months, not least the victories which followed in that 2024 campaign over Wales and Scotland, wins which secured qualification to this year’s World Cup. Subsequent victories over Australia, and at last October’s WXV1 over world champions New Zealand and the higher-ranked USA have enhanced reputations and, more importantly for the head coach, bolstered confidence and belief.
So as Bemand sees it, last Saturday’s opening-round loss to France in Belfast was a significant step in Ireland’s journey, when compared to the 27-21 reverse to the Italians in Dublin 12 months ago.
“Now they are a group who think differently,” Bemand said. “We had some tough experiences in the WXV1 but now rather than going in with doubt, we now go in with belief. We are not the finished product yet. We have a fly-half who is 21 and who has 20 caps to her name. Each one of those caps builds layers of experience.”
Dannah O’Brien has been rewarded with cap 21 at number 10 for the Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi clash and will partner scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly, one of three changes to the side beaten 27-15 by France.
Ireland captain Edel McMahon returns to the starting line-up at blindside flanker with lock Fiona Tuite the other new face in the forward pack as Brittany Hogan and Dorothy Wall drop to the bench, Emily Lane also moving to the replacements to make way for Reilly.
Italy are also looking to rebound from opening-round disappointment having lost 38-5 to reigning champions England in York last Sunday. Head coach Fabio Roselli will have been pleased with his side’s second-half performance when Italy kept the English scoreless for 38 minutes but has nevertheless made significant changes to the team for the Irish visit.
Experienced No.8 Elisa Giordano returns to captain Italy as does centre and place kicker Michela Sillari, Italy’s all-time second-highest points scorer. There is also a change at full back with Francesca Granzotto in for Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, and at fly-half after Veronica Madia was ruled out following an injury sustained against England. Emma Stevanin comes in at number 10 while another change comes at hooker, where Vittoria Vecchini is recalled.
“What do I think of the Italians?” Bemand said. “They’re better coached than they were. They have a strong sense of purpose, cultural identity and what game they want to get out there. They’ve got a more structured version of themselves these days. It used to quite fun watching them, in that anything might happen. Everybody had a left foot and a right foot and we’ll all do three chips each.
“Now they’ve got a little bit more, not pragmatic but … sensible with what they’re trying to do. So we’re expecting a strong box-kicking game.
“We’ve been preparing for that and if we get that right, it’s a source of possession and in the right area of the pitch. I’m expecting an incredible challenge from the Italians. Historically, we’ve always had a good battle with them. Our aim is to get our best game out there and if we do we’ll be alright but certainly the Italians won’t make it easy for us.”
F Granzotto (Unione Capitolina); A Muzzo (Villorba), M Sillari (Valsugana Padova), B Rigoni (Sale Sharks), A D'incà (Villorba); E Stevanin (Valsugana Padova), S Stefan (Sale Sharks); S Turani (Harlequins), V Vecchini (Valsugana Padova), G Maris (Valsugana Padova); V Fedrighi (Colorno), G Duca (Valsugana Padova); S Tounesi (Montpellier), F Sgorbini (Romagnat), E Giordano (Valsugana Padova)
L Gurioli (Villorba), V Zanette (Lou), S Seye (Ealing Trailfinders), B Veronese (Valsugana Padova), A Ranuccini (Colorno), A Bitonci (Valsugana Padova), S Mannini (Colorno), B Capomaggi (Villorba)
S Flood (Railway Union); A McGann (Railway Union), A Dalton (Old Belvedere/Leinster), E Higgins (Railway Union), A-L Costigan (Railway Union/Munster); D O’Brien (Old Belvedere/Leinster), A Reilly (Blackrock College/Connacht); N O’Dowd (Old Belvedere/Leinster), N Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), L Djougang (Old Belvedere /Leinster); R Campbell (Old Belvedere/Leinster), F Tuite (Old Belvedere/Ulster); E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) – captain, E King (Old Belvedere), A Wafer (Blackrock College/Leinster).
C Moloney (Exeter Chiefs), S McCarthy (Railway Union/Munster), C Haney (Blackrock College/Leinster), G Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), D Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), B Hogan (Old Belvedere/Ulster), E Lane (Blackrock College), E Breen (Blackrock College/Munster).
Ella Goldsmith (Australia)
