New Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon happy to share the load

When Scott Bemand's appointment as new Ireland women's head coach was confirmed this summer, one of his first duties would have been to find a new captain.

Nichola Fryday's retirement from Test rugby came just over 18 months on from the previous skipper Ciara Griffin doing the same, with the turnover of experienced talent proving just how stressful life had been as the face of the women's game.

As well as leading the team on the pitch, Griffin and Fryday also had to deal with the many off-field headlines that dogged the women's game in this country.

Here's hoping their successors will be afforded the opportunity to focus their efforts solely on rugby.

After a disastrous Six Nations campaign in 2023, Ireland will begin to pick up the pieces tomorrow when they play their first game under their new head coach Bemand.

Their WXV3 opener against Kazakhstan in Dubai may fly under the radar given the World Cup quarter-final against New Zealand for the men's team on Saturday, but it's no less important for this side to break their losing streak.

Prior to the squad departing for their camp in Dubai, the new boss picked his captains: flanker Edel McMahon and second-row Sam Monaghan will share the duties for this campaign, although Bemand has hinted he may appoint one permanent skipper down the line as he gets to know his squad.

For now, the division of labour suits the co-captains, both of whom play their club rugby in the Premiership; McMahon with Exeter and Monaghan with Gloucester-Hartpury, while they were previously team-mates at Wasps.

And for McMahon, sharing that responsibility has been a welcome development.

"So far it's actually not been too bad. Me and Sam have a good relationship before this anyway, we were team-mates in Wasps