Beibhinn Parsons: Ireland 'want to go out fighting' against Italy

Beibhinn Parsons dipped her toes back into Sevens rugby this week, but the dual Ireland international has eased any worries that she'll be going back to the shorter form of the game during the Guinness Women’s Six Nations.

The Irish Sevens squad play in Hong Kong next week during the fallow Six Nations weekend coming up, but Parsons will remain with the Irish XVs side after tomorrow’s Round 2 meeting with Italy at the RDS.

The availability of the winger, as well as several other stars who feature in both codes, has been a source of contention for several years in Irish rugby.

Last year, former head coach Greg McWilliams had no access to his Sevens contingent for the duration of the championship, with Olympic qualification for the Sevens prioritised ahead of the Six Nations, while in 2022 Parsons was among those who featured in the opening three games before returning to the shorter format of the game.

Whether or not it was something stressed by new head coach Scott Bemand, or a realisation from those higher up in the IRFU, the relationship between the women’s Sevens and XVs set-ups appears to be a bit more give-and-take, with Parsons, Eve Higgins and Aoibheann Reilly linking up with Bemand’s squad both for the WXV tournament in October, as well as this Six Nations.

Bemand has spoken of the good working relationship he has with Sevens head coach Allan Temple-Jones, an example of which saw Parsons, Higgins and Reilly slot into one of their training sessions this week, "to keep things ticking over".

"There’s still a bit of crossover, and the communication is really good between both codes, but for now we’ll be sticking in the Six Nations," Parsons said this week.

It’s hard to believe that Parsons is still just 22.

The Ballinasloe