Bemand hoping for better fortunes

Ireland coach Scott Bemand is hoping that intense training will make up for the lack of a competitive programme at test level for his players when they head to France next week.

March 14, 2024

4 minute read

Try Audio

Bemand hoping for better fortunes

Ireland coach Scott Bemand is hoping that intense training will make up for the lack of a competitive programme at test level for his players when they head to France next week.

Having finished bottom of the Six Nations last year, Ireland played in WXV3, cruising to victories over inferior opposition in Bemand’s first competition in charge.

The second season of the cross border Celtic Challenge Cup has been the primary mechanism for Ireland’s best players to warm up for the Six Nations, but last year the same event failed to provide the rigorous preparation that Ireland had hoped.

This year Wales and Scotland once again used the competition to give game time and to look at players not playing in England’s Premiership competition, but Bemand is confident that it has been a worthy few weeks for his players.

“The Celtic Challenge is going to become bigger and bigger as a preparation tool. It has been hugely beneficial going into this tournament because of the training piece.  The results have been close, and competitive so the level of challenge has been appropriate. It’s a good way of bringing groups together.

“It was also coached by IRFU coaches that are inside our circle and so it was hands on hands on. We had Ireland coaches at every session and I think that competition will grow to become a bigger part of what we want to consider as Ireland’s success.”

“Outside of that, what we can control is the training piece and I think you can do a lot with how competitive you can make training. Going to France we know what to expect. I’d like to think our training will prepare us for that. “

Bemand moved to Ireland after last year’s Six Nations having been part of the England coaching set up for seven years so is well placed to comment on the differences in the programmes.

“It’s a younger programme in Ireland,” he explained.

“With England, professionalism started a few years before so the maturity of the programmes are different. But how people are developing within the programme in Ireland and when we get everyone together there is a palpable level of excitement.”

Bemand will also have access to some sevens players this year, something that didn’t happen in Ireland last year, and he hopes that crossover becomes permanent.

“It’s an Olympic year and there is a strategic goal around that but we do have some sevens girls in camp going into the Six Nations. The playing numbers are what they are and we will continue to grow that, and the talent pool is what it is so we need to work with it. Some other nations have done this well.

“You look at New Zealand who had sevens girls coming in for the World Cup and then going back. It can be done. We have a good relationships with the coaches there so we’re working together to achieve in both events so having access to those girls is a big and important part of us.

“They’re great people and try add to the environment. The challenge we embrace is to get better at transitioning and get both succeeding. If we are successful in an Olympic and a World Cup that’s got to shine a great light on women’s rugby in Ireland and helps us grow the game.”

Post