Time for Ireland to deliver as Griggs’ side search for a much-needed spark

THIS HAS BEEN a Six Nations campaign of few positives for Ireland, their performances at times bordering on shambolic, but Adam Griggs’ side have, at least, one final chance to end it on a high this afternoon. 

Lindsay Peat delivered a passionate plea for the IRFU to take action and halt the downward spiral the women’s national team are on by introducing the necessary structures during the week, but now it is up to the current group of players to actually stand up and deliver on the pitch. 

The Ireland captain’s run. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Three defeats, including two heavy reversals to England and France at home in Donnybrook, leave Ireland facing into a fifth-place finish if they fail to find the solutions against Wales at the Cardiff Arms Park later [KO 1.30pm, RTÉ 2].

A performance and result will not mask the problems but finishing the campaign on the right note will at least provide encouragement moving forward after a miserable campaign which has seen Grigg’s side regress rather than make any tangible progress.

“You live and breath this, it has been tough, I won’t make any bones about it,” the head coach says.

“This whole tournament, because it’s in such a short intense block with the three months leading into it, it has been tougher.

Remaining positive is one thing but confidence will be sapped when the same elementary mistakes and lapses in concentration continue to undermine the other green shoots of recovery. You cannot win a match at any level when you commit the same amount of errors as Ireland have done in the last four games. 

“You see us making similar mistakes because we address them but we are not able to pick them up when they become natural and we fix them and move on from them,” Griggs continued.

“That’s probably where you see these players at the moment. We learn something, we get it right and then we forget about something else.

“The environment is still really good. We are still really positive about things. Absolutely we are disappointed with our results and where we are at at the moment. We can’t hide from that and we have to be honest and open each other. 

“But we just have to keep moving on and keep some consistency across the board, even if it’s a challenge.”

Griggs has made two changes from last week — Peat returns to the front row and 17-year-old Beibhinn Parsons is handed her first Six Nations start on the wing — as Ireland go in search of the spark they so desperately crave.

Sene Naoupu starts in midfield. Source: James Crombie/INPHO

Wales, meanwhile, are bidding to jump ahead of Ireland in the standings after their win over Scotland last time out and will certainly be hoping to inflict more misery on the visitors this afternoon. 

That being said, Ireland’s recent record in this fixture has been strong, with Griggs’ side winning each of the Six Nations games between the sides since 2011.