'There's something very pure about women's rugby' - Briggs excited at future with Ireland's 'blank canvas'

Given Ireland are arriving into next month's TikTok Women's Six Nations at such a low ebb, you could make the argument that it might not be the most ideal time for an Irish legend to put their neck on the line and step into the coaching team.

With Ciara Griffin, Claire Molloy and Lindsay Peat all retiring in recent months, following on from Hannah Tyrrell and Katie Fitzhenry earlier in 2021, and the fallout from Ireland's World Cup qualification disaster still running as we wait on the independent review to be published, new head coach Greg McWilliams clearly has a job on his hands to pick up the pieces, both in the short and long term.

But 25 minutes in the company of his new backs coach Niamh Briggs would convince you that however far Ireland have fallen back from their rivals, there's light somewhere in the distance.

The former Ireland captain was recently confirmed as an assistant to McWilliams, with the pair reuniting from their days in the glory years of women's rugby in this country, when McWilliams was assistant to Philip Doyle and Briggs a full-back and future captain.

A new era for the women's game begins next month, with the Six Nations back in its original format following last year's truncated version, although it will remain in its own window, separate from the men's and U20s.

Ireland open up their new campaign on Saturday 26 March against Wales at the RDS, with their short-term goal likely to be quite different to that of the other five nations.

With Scotland expected to confirm their qualification for the World Cup in this weekend's repechage, it will likely leave Ireland as the only team in the championship not using the Six Nations as a primer for the World Cup in New Zealand later this year.

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