Brian O'Driscoll's taxi ride that delivered home truth about rugby's standing
"The taxi driver asked if we were going to the game...Chelsea and Spurs - and this was the day of a Rugby World Cup final," laughed O'Driscoll. "So that just shows the differentiation between the two sports."
Scott Bemand's Ireland are in England ahead of Friday's finals opener between England and the USA, with their own first group game to follow on Saturday.The Premier League's return last weekend will ensure that many sports fans' focus will remain firmly on football. But O'Driscoll - who was on the Rugby World Cup board for the last cycle and was in Auckland for the thrilling final won by New Zealand against England - is optimistic that the needle will move for the festival of women's rugby that lies ahead."I think it's still in a continued development phase, but this has the capacity and will be the biggest women's World Cup and the home nation being such strong favourites will lend itself towards greater eyeballs, greater attendances and so on, which has to be a good thing because all ships rise and all that," he said.
As for the support that the Ireland team will receive, O'Driscoll feels it will grow as the tournament progresses as Bemand's charges aim for a semi-final place. Head coach Scott Bemand speaks to the squad during training (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)
"It's still trying to get people interested in the women's game in a way here," he said. "If it's successful, I suppose a bandwagon will form in a way."There's not a whole lot else going on in August, sports-wise, apart from the Premier League. The players would be OK with that bandwagon - it doesn't matter how the support comes, the important thing is that it does, and there's a big diaspora over there, too."
Ireland will miss the world-class quality of Erin King and Dorothy Wall, while Aoife Wafer is hoping to return in time for the final group stage game against New Zealand.
O'Driscoll believes that beating the Black Ferns will be a big target for this Irish team in terms of a more favourable path through the knock-out stages.With only one player who has played at a World Cup before - Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald in 2017 - Ireland will need a fearless attitude to work in their favour."It's an average of 17 caps, which is not tiny but not significant if you look at that perfect age profile and cap profile," acknowledged O'Driscoll.
"We're a bit on the short side of it. It's unusual that only one person has been to a World Cup, obviously because of what happened last time out. It feels like there's an asterisk with that.` Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald at Ireland squad training at Towcestrians Sports Club, Northampton on Tuesday (Image: ©INPHO/Ben Brady)
"But sometimes that naivety of youth is a real plus. I think back to being in scenarios in early years before you have the scar tissue, where you just play free and play for fun and play as you did as a kid. And I think that really has its place."You do need to just marry a little bit of know-how, a little bit of sense and understanding and experience into that and integrate the two. So hopefully there's the capacity for this squad to kind of deliver on both fronts.
"And with Lynne Cantwell (the IRFU's Head Of Women's Strategy) back on board here and Scott, the future's looking promising for the Irish team.
"Scott said 2029 was the real focus because of that age profile of the team and he's not in that long, 18 months or so, and all things take time to bed in."You've seen the emergence of some great players coming through and they get experience and hopefully get fit and are able to showcase their ability.
"It will develop confidence within the environment and that's what you need. You just need that snowball effect of positivity continuing to generate, which has been an upward curve for a while now, which is great."
Brian O'Driscoll and Lynne Cantwell have teamed up to celebrate Defender as Principal Partner for the Women's Rugby World Cup 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
7 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Aidan O'Brien still positive despite Lambourn's Voltigeur defeat
Aidan O'Brien was not too despondent after watching his dual Derby winner Lambourn trail home in fifth place in the Sky Bet Great Voltigeur at York. A mildly surprising winner at Epsom, he then doubled up at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent and despite giving weight away all round to his rivals, he was sent off the 4-5 favourite to confirm his position as the best mile-and-a-half colt of his generation. However, Ryan Moore was hard at work from some way out as first stablemate Stay True loomed up looking a threat, before the Ballydoyle duo were swamped by Ralph Beckett's Pride Of Arras. The winner had scored impressively in the Dante at the track in May but finished well behind Lambourn at both Epsom and the Curragh and had subsequently been gelded. O'Brien fielded four in the Group Two and they filled the final four positions. Lambourn is now 5-1 for the St Leger with Coral as his stable companion Scandinavia hardened to 4-5 favourite for the final Classic. "He went grand, they went steady and he's lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race," said O'Brien of Lambourn. "All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc. "I don't think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well. "Ryan (Moore) said he felt like he got a little but tired but we'll see how he is. "Stay True ran a lovely race, he's always looked a lovely horse for the Leger so it looks like he'll be happy doing that." One horse who enhanced his reputation despite losing his unbeaten record was the Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, the Queen's Vase winner from Royal Ascot who was dropping in trip. He got caught flat-footed when the pace quickened before staying on for second, beaten a length. "He maybe didn't get the run of the race but I think it was a very good trial for the Leger," said Twomey. "I think he's learned more today than he had in any race he won. It's a big run and back up to the mile and six (furlongs) will suit him. "I don't think the ground makes any difference to him." Meanwhile, Ombudsman eventually came out on top in an exciting renewal of the Juddmonte International Stakes. The 7-4 favourite was ridden by William Buick for John and Thady Gosden, with the fellow Godolphin-owned runner Birr Castle sent out to make the running as a rank outsider in the field of six. The latter horse was afforded an enormous lead and as he rounded the turn for home it looked quite possible that the chasing pack would not catch him, but as he tired, Ombudsman was gaining ground. He eventually swept through to grab the lead and while Delacroix also made late gains, Ombudsman emerged a three-and-a-half-length winner.
Irish Examiner
7 minutes ago
- Irish Examiner
Galway's John Shortt claims sensational gold at world juniors
John Shortt claimed gold for Ireland in the 100m backstroke at the World Junior Aquatics Championships in Romania on Wednesday evening. The 18-year-old, already the European junior champion in the event, swam a sensational second 50m to top the podium. Shortt, who is from Galway, made the turn in third and then powered into the lead, finishing in 53.86. The time was just slightly slower than the new Irish junior record of 53.80 which he had set in the semi-final on Tuesday. "It wasn't pretty, but we got the job done and I'm really happy with just being a world champion now," Shortt said immediately after his win. "My back end last night was really good. It's just my front end needed some touching up, but that was a really quick first 50 for me, so I'm very happy with that." He finished ahead of second-placed Georgii Iakovlev (53.94), who was swimming under a neutral flag, and American Gavin Keogh (54.06) who was third. Shortt is the only Irish competitor at the championships. He will also go in the 50m and 200m backstroke events. The roar belongs to John Shortt!⁰⁰He takes gold in the Men's 100m Backstroke after a thrilling finish 🥇💥#Swimming — World Aquatics (@WorldAquatics) August 20, 2025
Irish Independent
9 minutes ago
- Irish Independent
Aidan O'Brien still positive despite Lambourn's Voltigeur defeat
A mildly surprising winner at Epsom, he then doubled up at the Curragh in the Irish equivalent and despite giving weight away all round to his rivals, he was sent off the 4-5 favourite to confirm his position as the best mile-and-a-half colt of his generation. However, Ryan Moore was hard at work from some way out as first stablemate Stay True loomed up looking a threat, before the Ballydoyle duo were swamped by Ralph Beckett's Pride Of Arras. The winner had scored impressively in the Dante at the track in May but finished well behind Lambourn at both Epsom and the Curragh and had subsequently been gelded. O'Brien fielded four in the Group Two and they filled the final four positions. Lambourn is now 5-1 for the St Leger with Coral as his stable companion Scandinavia hardened to 4-5 favourite for the final Classic. 'He went grand, they went steady and he's lazy, I think it was a steadily-run race,' said O'Brien of Lambourn. 'All of them ran grand. The reason we ran Lambourn here was so that he had the option of either the Leger or the Arc. 'I don't think the Leger trip will be a problem, we know he stays a mile and a half well. 'Ryan (Moore) said he felt like he got a little but tired but we'll see how he is. 'Stay True ran a lovely race, he's always looked a lovely horse for the Leger so it looks like he'll be happy doing that.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more One horse who enhanced his reputation despite losing his unbeaten record was the Paddy Twomey-trained Carmers, the Queen's Vase winner from Royal Ascot who was dropping in trip. He got caught flat-footed when the pace quickened before staying on for second, beaten a length. 'He maybe didn't get the run of the race but I think it was a very good trial for the Leger,' said Twomey. 'I think he's learned more today than he had in any race he won. It's a big run and back up to the mile and six (furlongs) will suit him. 'I don't think the ground makes any difference to him.'
