Linda Djougang says time in France key to developing her game

As Ireland prepares for the Rugby World Cup, one player who will be crucial to Ireland's chances of success is Linda Djougang.

The Leinster prop has been a key part of Ireland's turnaround in fortunes, with Ireland missing out on the previous World Cup in 2022 following qualifying defeats to Spain and Scotland.

Initially, times did not get any better, with a wooden spoon in the 2023 Six Nations, before the appointment of Scott Bemand helped turn around Ireland's fortunes.

For Djougang, developing her game as a prop came when she moved to France, as she joined French side ASM Romagnat in Clermont in 2021.

"In 2021, I went to France after the we were unsuccessful in the World Cup qualifier.

"I wanted to keep learning, I wanted to challenge myself, obviously it was a t=tough time for the team.

"For me personally, it was important to just put my head down and continue to learn. There is no better place as a prop than to go to France where they just love to scrum.

"I was really young, it was important just to go to the home of scrums and learn my masterpiece."

It has been a unique journey for the 28-year-old in rugby, who would not have taught back in 2015 she would go on to become an International player.

Having signed up to make friends at work, the rules were not known to Djougang , but nonetheless, those who watched were encouraged by what they saw.

I signed up for tag rugby just to make friends with my colleagues at work. The game was cancelled and everyone else removed their name from the list.

"But the elite team - at the company - were playing a final and they needed a girl and I was the only one that didn't remove my name from the sheet because I wasn't good at technology.

"So, they were like, 'who's Linda? Do you