That's set the tone nicely.

Kick-off is moments away!

Simon Middleton
Former England women head coach on BBC Two

I would have said France before the game, but I think the conditions might have levelled it up. I still think France, but it will be a massive battle of the forwards, the kicking and territory game.

If you want an idea of the rain, the camera panning across the players during the anthems is so wet you have to squint a bit to make out who is who with the drops on the lens.

It's time for the anthems.

First up, it's Ireland.

The weather is grim but spirits are high.

Here come the teams for a huge quarter-final!

The Green Wave are, as expected, out in force in the rain in Exeter, with Ulster's Eric O'Sullivan out to support his fiancé Fiona Tuite!

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Inpho

Image source, Inpho

Scott Bemand speaking on BBC Two: "Knockout rugby brings it's own bit of spice and each time we have played France it has been in knockout phases. We have built as a group and have some experience.

"They understand the task today, they know France are a good team, but we also know how to get them under pressure, and the key is controlling that middle bit of the field. If we do that, we can get our ins and if we get the ins we need to be clinical enough to get our scores."

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Eight: Braxton Sorensen-McGee

Six: Julia Schell, Jess Breach, Desiree Miller, Freda Tafuna and Francesca McGhie

Four: Caitlyn Halse, Jorja Miller, McKinley Hunt, Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Emilie Boulard, Aseza Hele, Alysha Corrigan

These two sides met earlier this year in the Women's Six Nations. France began their campaign with a 27-15 win over Ireland in Belfast despite a 20-minute red card for Gabrielle Vernier.

The centre opened the scoring with the game's first try but had her 45th-minute yellow card for a high tackle upgraded by the Television Match Official (TMO) bunker.

Scott Bemand's side drew within two points in the closing stages at Kingspan Stadium but, in a game in which both teams scored three tries, France grabbed the contest's final 10 points thanks to Emilie Boulard's late score and five points from the tee for Mor­gane Bourgeois.

The French full-back kicked 12 points in total with those efforts proving to be the difference in a game where number eight Aoife Wafer crossed twice for Ireland.

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Anna Caplice
Former Ireland international on BBC Two

Watch out for Aoife Wafer today, she picks out lines, she is able to beat defenders, and she brings a lot of energy.

I used to love playing in weather like this, it is a forwards day!

Aoife Wafer's knee is still heavily strapped before kick-off in this one as she makes her highly anticipated return to action following surgery on the injury in July.

It will be interesting to see how she holds up and performs.

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Ireland Rugby

Ireland progressed to the quarter-final stage by finishing second in Pool C.

They beat Japan 42-14 in their first game in Northampton.

Scott Bemand's side followed that up with a 43-27 triumph against Spain also in Northampton, which made sure of their place in the knockout stage.

Ireland suffered their first defeat of the tournament last week as they lost 40-0 to reigning champions New Zealand, with the Black Ferns topping the table with the resounding win.

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Ireland will play their first stand-alone Women's Six Nations fixture at the Aviva Stadium when they host Scotland at the Dublin venue next year.

Scott Bemand's side will face Scotland in their final 2026 Six Nations fixture on Sunday, 17 May, with kick-off at 14:30 BST.

It will be the second time Ireland, who face France in the Women's World Cup last eight on Sunday, have played at Aviva Stadium.

In their first game they cruised to a five-try victory over Italy in 2014 which formed part of a Six Nations double-header alongside the men's team.

"A lot of work has happened behind the scenes to get to this point from everyone across the IRFU and as part of our women's strategy, we're committed to growing our Green Wave further off the back of the brilliant support the team has received throughout the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025," said IRFU Director of Communications Aoife Clarke.

"We have seen fantastic numbers turn out in Northampton and Brighton in recent weeks and we want to see them out in force in Aviva Stadium next May."

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Simon Middleton
Former England women head coach on BBC Two

France have a really strong mindset and they have been ruthless like no other team have been in the pool stage. They are adding quality to greater execution and composure.

Ireland back row Fiona Tuite says her side "have another gear" to reach in their Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final against France in Exeter.

Scott Bemand's side are playing their first knockout game in this competition since 2014 against a France side who beat them in this year's Women's Six Nations in Belfast.

Tuite believes Ireland have been building steadily through the pool stage for this game and they are ready to produce a big performance.

"I have no doubt we have another gear in us from a physical, speed and tactical point of view to really chase this game on Sunday," she said.

"We have a next level and a new height to come for us as a squad."

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Nichola Fryday
Former Ireland captain on BBC Sport NI

One player Ireland will have to do without is their co-captain Edel McMahon who is out through injury.

What Tricky brings is not just her performances on the pitch but her leadership too.

She does her job extremely well week in, week out, and you could never say that she hasn't put everything on the line.

She's someone who is going to give absolutely everything to get a win and that's the kind of player that you always want in your squad, especially going into a knockout game like this.

She is going to be a big loss for Ireland.When you're in that environment and unable to play, it feels like the worst place in the world.

It'll be so disappointing for her on a personal level. You want to be involved in every game when you're in that squad, especially so whenever you're leading the team.

It just means that her role will have changed throughout this week. She's very detailed and really reads and can analyse the game like no one else throughout the week.

She'll probably look more off-field and step up on that side of things.

Edel will help prepare them in any way she can.

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Nichola Fryday
Former Ireland captain on BBC Sport NI

Image source, Inpho

The first 20 minutes of Sunday's quarter-final against France will probably feel like the hardest game Aoife Wafer has ever played.

She has not played a game since April and it's a huge ask to come back straight into a World Cup quarter-final and be expected to hit the ground running.

But, while it would be tough for any player to come in and start in a game like this after such a long lay-off, I know the type of player she is too.

Aoife has proven time and time again and how good she is. I'm sure she'll rise to the challenge ahead of her once again.

But it's never all about one player. You'll always have star players who are more prevalent in the media, but you can see how others have stepped up in her absence.

Aoife is a bit like Antoine Dupont in that way.

He's the star player among other stars within that French squad and they all go about their daily jobs and perform to high levels.

What Aoife will bring is probably big game moments - turnovers and carries - and others will get energy off things like that, but we've seen already how many other good players there are in Scott Bemand's squad.

Nichola Fryday
Former Ireland captain on BBC Sport NI

This is Ireland's first knockout game at a World Cup since 2014, the biggest game of their lives for these players.

There's this fine line. You want to be tapping into that emotion and it being such a huge achievement for this team, but then also not letting it override your every thought and building it up into something that you're almost afraid to be doing when the day comes around.

When I was in camp, I used to need to get out for a coffee, or even just watch a terrible TV show in the hotel, because when you're in the midst of a tournament, rugby can become every waking moment of your day.

And the closer kick-off gets, the bigger the occasion can seem.

There'll be a lot of Irish fans over again and there's a great atmosphere at a sold-out Sandy Park. It is quite an exposed stadium though, and one that the wind really whips through.

I think the weather, if it is as forecast, could play a big part and it might come down to who best manages the conditions.

Shutting down the likes of Pauline Bourdon Sansus will be huge but I do believe Ireland can do it.

A semi-final place would be absolutely huge and really highlight how far Ireland have come from the Wooden Spoon in the Six Nations in only 2023.

A lot of people have had to stand up and say that what was happening wasn't good enough and it would make all of that hardship worthwhile because we're now seeing the rewards of people stepping up and fighting for the better of the game.

Speaking of which...

Jonathan Bradley
BBC Sport NI senior journalist at Sandy Park

In Nichola Fryday's BBC Sport NI column this week, the former Ireland captain, who knows this ground from her time with Exeter Chiefs, wrote about how the wind really whips through Sandy Park.

You can really see that already with the rain seemingly blown sideways as the players go through their preparations.

Image source, Inpho