WXV series about 'turning the page' for Ireland

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand says the upcoming WXV Global Series represents the beginning of a new cycle for his squad leading into the next Women's Rugby World Cup in three years' time.

The Irish team were edged out by France at the quarter-final stage of last year's World Cup and finished third in the 2026 Six Nations, winning all three of their home matches.

Ireland open their WXV Global Series campaign against the United States at Dublin's Tallaght Stadium on Sunday (13:45 BST).

Scott Bemand's side then face Japan in a double-header in Galway and Cork on 27 September and 3 October - the first of which is a WXV game - before WXV games against South Africa in Cape Town on 24 and 31 October.

"We're at the start of a World Cup cycle now. The Six Nations we wanted to keep the momentum from the World Cup going and this is the sort of turning of the page," Bemand told reporters at their Dublin training base.

"Looking three years ahead, what do we need to get under our belts before then?

"We need to develop our depth and see who is coming through. Three years' time there is the potential of something like 28 caps to play for so if you're a new cap coming in now and you go to the World Cup you have the potential of 25-plus caps.

"So we're starting to see talent and understand what talent we need to bring through and this represents the first chance to do that."

Second row Sam Monaghan has been ruled out of the forthcoming fixtures with an achilles injury but Bemand says her absence and that of other injured players opens a door for others to show what they can do.

"It creates the next opportunity for the leader that's already in the group and the next second row to come through," he said.

"We've been developing depth quietly in the background, those girls get an opportunity to train with us and put their hand up for selection and hopefully we'll see a few of those in this series.

"We're starting to build strength on our shores and we have three games coming up now in the global series. We want to have the ability to go deeper in tournaments so you need to build experience."

The Ireland head coach believes his side can improve further in terms of results and performances if they continue to work hard.

"We've got the talent now and the capability to play a couple of different ways but a really good brand of rugby.

"It's exciting, it's fast-paced, it's got power, it's got movement, we're going to be able to kick the ball, we're going to be able to field the ball.

"It feels like we are on the cusp of something. It won't just happen, because each year teams will take us a bit more seriously and those final per cents are always the hardest per cents to come by but the harder we try the better we will get, the luckier we'll get, the bounce of the ball will go the other way.

"The group, the players turn up every day, every week, trying to get better, and it's a pleasure to watch and to be a part of."