Ireland return to World Cup with 'one of our best performances'

For Ireland, eight years was - at least for now - worth the wait.

For women's rugby in Ireland, the gap between World Cup appearances featured the scarring lows of a shock qualifying elimination in 2021, a Six Nations Wooden Spoon and concerns over facilities and playing conditions.

However, the rebuild under Scott Bemand over the past two years has been impressive - and perhaps swifter than many would have anticipated.

There were the confidence-boosting scalps of New Zealand and Australia last year, and a return to form in the Six Nations.

And when the time for talking was over as Ireland returned to the sport's biggest stage on Sunday, they delivered in style against Japan.

"It was amazing, I'm so proud of each and every one of them," said injured Ireland back row Dorothy Wall.

"It's probably one of the best performances we've ever put in as a team.

"From set-piece to how we managed the game, we executed well and I'm so proud of the entire squad."

Former Ireland forward and BBC Sport pundit Anna Caplice added Ireland had "turned it around" after a difficult few years.

"Japan aren't to be messed around with," she said.

"It was never going to be a gimme, so to put in a full 80-minute performance was brilliant for Ireland."

Ireland's performance in Northampton was even more impressive given that only one member of the squad - replacement hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald - had played at a World Cup.

It was a new experience for the 15 players who started the game, but if there were any nerves, they did not show.

Amee-Leigh Costigan and Neve Jones crossed in the opening 10 minutes, while Beibhinn Parsons and Fiona Tuite secured the bonus point before half-time.

There was a slight wobble at the start of the second half when Japan struck early, but Eve Higgins, who was superb in Northampton, swung the momentum back in Ireland's favour with her interception score and Enya Breen rounded out the win.

Throughout it all, Ireland were directed by the precision and craft of fly-half Dannah O'Brien, who is only 21.

"There was a nice cool, calm and collected energy this morning," said Irish co-captain Edel McMahon.

"The energy was good. This was a first World Cup game for the majority of the squad, all bar one, but it did not feel like it.

"The calmness of the youngsters, they took it in their stride.

"To be in an environment where you know the girls are ready to go is very empowering. It was class to put our best foot out there in the first game."

'Forget that underdog status'

While Ireland's recent resurgence had been clear to see, there had been questions over the depth of the squad after Wall and Erin King were ruled out of the tournament, and star player Aoife Wafer was absent for the opening game.

Parsons' minutes had been limited after a number of injuries, and co-captains McMahon and Sam Monaghan had also been hampered by injuries over the past 12 months.

"Over the last two years girls have come in and out of the squad," added McMahon.

"It's not just the 23 who are on the pitch. It's the girls who aren't here and the girls who are in the stands.

"There is a huge connection between everyone in the squad so we've full faith in whoever takes the jersey on the day."

When asked if Ireland were ahead of schedule in their development, especially considering the injuries, former Ireland player and BBC pundit Anna Caplice said: "I couldn't agree more."

"[There was] a lot of the talk about the injuries and the people who missed out on the World Cup, there was maybe some 'will they be able to produce what we had seen?'. But that was what we had seen.

"But one to 23, one to 30, one to 40, which includes Doro [Wall], Erin King and Aoife Wafer, they are here and performing like this because of the girls who have been like 'forget that underdog status'."

Ireland's second World Cup game is against Spain next Sunday. It was Las Leonas who extinguished Ireland's World Cup hopes in 2021 with a shock win.

At that moment Ireland had hit rock bottom, but now they have a chance to banish those memories for good and put one foot in the quarter-finals.

From there, the green wave will continue to grow and anything can happen in knockout rugby.