To the brink and back - A rollercoaster decade in Irish women's rugby

To opportunity nan caller history of nan Ireland women's rugby squad has been akin to a rollercoaster thrust is thing of an understatement.

The past decade has seen historical firsts connected nan transportation and tempestuous times disconnected it arsenic nan Irish broadside went from Six Nations Grand Slam champions and World Cup semi-finalists to failing to triumph a crippled successful European rugby's elite world title and players clashing pinch nan governing assemblage complete nan guidance of nan crippled successful nan country.

Now, Ireland find themselves successful a position wherever nan decade started for them - beating nan world champions New Zealand and looking towards World Cup adjacent summer.

BBC Sport takes a look into that sometimes melodramatic journey.

The 2013 Women's Six Nations remains Ireland's astir successful run to day arsenic they clinched nan title for nan first clip successful their history.

Wing Alison Miller helped herself to a hat-trick of tries arsenic they celebrated a hugely important 25-0 triumph complete England successful Dublin and a cleanable expanse of victories was completed by narrowly defeating Italy 6-3 successful a nervy last game.

Head coach Philip Doyle, assisted by Greg McWilliams, masterminded that occurrence and nan duo delivered again nan pursuing year, guiding nan Irish squad to a celebrated first triumph complete New Zealand successful nan excavation shape of nan World Cup, earlier losing to England astatine nan semi-final stage.

The ascendant Black Ferns astatine that shape had won 4 World Cups connected nan bounce and had not mislaid a crippled successful nan tourney for 23 years.

After finishing 3rd successful 2014, they were crowned Six Nations champions again successful 2015, edging retired France connected points difference.

Mixed fortunes followed successful nan title successful consequent years arsenic England and France moved to much master set-ups and put immoderate region betwixt themselves and nan chasing pack.

A runners-up decorativeness and 2 3rd positions betwixt 2016 and 2018 showed that Ireland remained competitive, albeit pinch nan disappointment of an eighth spot decorativeness astatine nan 2017 World Cup successful Ireland sandwiched successful betwixt and seeming clash betwixt nan redirection of 15s players towards sevens.

Inconsistent performances successful nan Six Nations began to hasten immoderate introspection of nan women's crippled and a nonaccomplishment to suffice for a World Cup for nan first clip since 1991 precipitated an independent reappraisal process into under-par displays.

Collecting nan woody spoon successful nan 2023 Six Nations connected nan backmost of 5 defeats brought further disappointment and added to nan consciousness of a mini-crisis astir nan squad.

As results and performances took a move for nan worse, events disconnected nan transportation person often been chaotic successful caller years, pinch a sometimes fraught narration betwixt elite players and immoderate administrators.

In February 2020, nan IRFU issued an apology to Wales women aft they were forced to person acold showers pursuing their nonaccomplishment to Ireland successful nan Six Nations.

Later, successful September 2021, arsenic nan effects of nan Covid-19 pandemic were still being felt, nan governing assemblage launched a reappraisal aft Ulster and Connacht players astatine a women's interprovincial lucifer successful Dublin had to get changed beside bins.

Covid guidelines successful spot astatine nan clip meant that women's rugby was not classified arsenic 'elite' athletics truthful nan changing rooms astatine Energia Park were not open.

Controversy raged 2 months aft arsenic IRFU main executive Philip Browne re-emphasised nan organisation's committedness to nan women's game, while acknowledging that structures needed to beryllium addressed aft Women's rugby head Anthony Eddy was criticised by existent and erstwhile players for insisting nan 15-a-side crippled had not been overlooked.

Ireland beforehand statement Cliodhna Moloney famously likened Eddy's comments to "slurry spreading" arsenic relations betwixt galore Ireland squad members and a conception of nan sport's starring administrators deteriorated.

In December of that year, a ample group of past and coming Irish rugby players escalated their grievances arsenic they were signatories of a missive to nan Irish Government expressing a nonaccomplishment of "all spot and assurance successful nan IRFU".

The missive requested authorities support successful enacting "meaningful change" successful nan women's crippled successful Ireland.

In response, nan IRFU said it "refuted nan wide tenor of nan document" and was disappointed by nan timing of it.

A study published a twelvemonth later saw nan IRFU perpetrate 1m euros to boost accommodation and pathways improvement successful nan women's crippled pursuing an independent review.

A revival successful nan women's crippled has since manifested itself successful various ways, that 3rd spot decorativeness successful nan Six Nations successful April and nan caller wins complete nan 2 confederate hemisphere giants successful speedy succession among nan astir tangible.

The preamble of cardinal contracts for galore of nan 15s squad has accrued nan level of professionalism importantly and nan summation of a Celtic Challenge involving Scottish, Welsh and Irish sides to supplement nan interprovincial bid involving Leinster, Munster, Ulster and Connacht has proved of use successful position of competitory lucifer action.

The tourney involving teams from nan 3 Celtic nations will return successful December 2024 pinch an expanded 10-round format, to supply accrued mentation up of adjacent summer's World Cup for those involved.

Meanwhile nan IRFU indicated successful its four-year strategical scheme published successful 2024 that nan women's crippled was a privilege for nan future, pinch attraction connected nan grassroots game, creating winning teams. activity and governance, finance and revenue, arsenic good arsenic a alteration successful visibility and engagement.

On nan pitch, Kazakhstan and Colombia were outclassed and Spain dispatched successful nan inaugural WXV3 arena 12 months agone and since nan much awesome scalps of Australia and New Zealand person been claimed arsenic nan upward trajectory continues.

With nan World Cup little than a twelvemonth away, nan greenish shoots of betterment overseen by Bemand and his squad of master coaches person been coming on very nicely.