Upbeat Ireland aiming to make a fresh impression

Richard Bullick writes of the determination in the Irish squad to riseabove their 13th place seeding.

Ireland's squad fly out to Spain this morning for the women's World Cup in upbeat mood, despite suffering a whitewash in their first full Six Nations campaign.

Getting the use of Thomond Park gave Suzanne Fleming's girls in green a real boost this spring, though they enjoyed little luck there, going down narrowly to Wales, Scotland and Spain.

But the 8-6 defeat by Spain represented a 40-point improvement on their devastating 42-0 thrashing in Barcelona 14 months earlier and the side also showed character in their final championship match away to a French side who had beaten the mighty English and were on the verge of a first Grand Slam.

That was a memorable occasion in Melun, with a typically French crowd of 5,000 creating a great atmosphere and Ireland making a game of it before leaking five tries in 15 minutes well into the second half to lose 46-0.

Donal O'Leary's team have made real progress since returning to international rugby at the 2000 European Championships, also ironically on Spanish soil, after taking a year out of the Test arena for reflection and rebuilding.

Ulster three-quarter Fleming (27) is one of six survivors from the last World Cup in Holland four years ago when Ireland finished 10th, while both her vice-captain Fiona Steed and hooker Elaine Collins, a cousin of Leinster flanker Aidan McCullen, also took part in the 1994 tournament.

Barring injury, Shannon flanker Steed will extend her Irish appearances record to 50 consecutive caps in the second game of the tournament.

That would be a quarter-final, probably against Scotland, if Ireland can spring a surprise on fourth seeds Canada in Monday's opening match of the Barcelona-based tournament which has a similar format to the FIRA Junior World Cup for Under-19s with every side is guaranteed four games regardless of results.

Ireland are seeded 13th of the 16 teams, ahead of only Italy, Holland and Germany, but there is confidence in the camp that they can finish considerably higher.

Much will rest on Steed, Fleming and brilliant young full back Sarahjane Belton, who will relish the chance to parade her world-class skills on the biggest stage of all.

Shannon front-row Jean Lonergan has made a major impact since coming into the side during the Six Nations.

Steed and Lonergan are joined in a Shannon quartet by two players with famous family ties in rugby, lock Rosie Foley, sister of Anthony, and teenage three-quarter Rachel Tucker, daughter of 1980 Lion, Colm.

Interprovincial champions Munster provide 11 of the 26 players, with their predecessors Ulster supplying eight. Eight of the UL Bohemians team which were crowned women's AIL champions last month have been included.

Holders New Zealand are being widely tipped to meet third seeds England in the final at Barcelona's Olympic stadium this day fortnight.