‘The Only Way Is Up From Here’ – Moore

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The Ireland Women (sponsored by Aon) won their first warm-up match, overcoming Scotland 27-21 in Cork where Moore delivered a player-of-the-match performance from blindside flanker despite an early blood injury.

It was Moore’s 10th start in 21 appearances for Ireland, and she made nine carries for 46.2 metres, including almost 32 post-contact metres, beat two defenders, and made seven tackles.

Her charging run off a lineout helped to build the momentum for Sadhbh McGrath’s opening try, while she was also involved in the build-up to replacement Niamh O’Dowd’s score, showing impressive strength to get her hands free in contact and lay the ball off to Emily Lane.

It was her first game in the green jersey since the April defeat to England, also at Virgin Media Park, and she spoke afterwards about the emotions around representing this team, and those who did not make the squad or who are currently injured.

“Our Captain’s Run (on Friday) was so good, and our jersey presentation was probably one of the most emotional we’ve had so far in my career,” she said.

“I think we really brought it for those girls who weren’t out here today but have made us get to where we are, and this is just the start.

“Those weeks of pre-season, the hard slog, people coming back from rehab, it’s just testament to who these people are. (We’re) so looking forward to the World Cup, and looking forward to grow.”

Moore, who came through the IQ Rugby pathway, has featured across the back row for Ireland, and was back in the number 6 jersey last weekend for the first time since the 2024 Guinness Women’s Six Nations match against Italy.

With players pushing hard for World Cup spots, and Ireland’s Pool C opener against Japan on August 24 now firmly in view, it was important for the London-born forward to lay down a marker against Scotland, especially with Dorothy Wall and Erin King ruled out of the tournament.

Aoife Wafer watched on from the stand as she continues her recovery from an MCL operation, and is ‘tracking to be available’ for the part of the World Cup campaign according to Bemand, who will announce his squad for England 2025 next Monday.

Moore admitted that picking up an early ‘head knock’ against Scotand was ‘not great’, but it was a short substitution and she returned – bandaged up – to play a significant role in Ireland’s comeback victory which saw them outscore the visitors by five tries to one over the concluding hour.

“Rugby is not always a perfect game and yeah, the start wasn’t great (going 14-0 down), but we came together and we stuck in it together.

“We pulled each other out of those deep places, we got our purple patches, and we grew as a team together throughout the game. This is just the start for us now.

“We need to play against opposition to see where we’re at, to put our practices into games and the only way is up from here. We are going to keep learning, keep growing together and we have a big year of rugby ahead of us.

“It’s been a long pre-season, but we have worked so hard and after each block we have just come back even stronger and even better.”

Meanwhile, Sam Monaghan made her much-anticipated return against the Scots, completing a long road back from an ACL injury sustained during the PWR final in June 2024, and subsequent setbacks with calf and hamstring issues.

Monaghan played most of the first half, coming off just after McGrath’s 35th-minute try. It was an encouraging shift from the Ireland captain, who had three lineout takes, made six carries and four tackles, including a dominant one, and won a turnover.

Speaking in the aftermath, she said: “It feels amazing. I have to say these girls have been unreal to me over the last 14 months. I definitely wouldn’t be here without them.

“I’m just very proud we could pull out the performance in the end. I know we had a tough 20 minutes, I think that was getting the cobwebs off.

“I have to say I’m very, very proud of the first cappers as well. That was a tough game to come into, and I thought they really performed today.”

The Meath woman led an Ireland team that had Nancy McGillivray, one of the try scorers, and Ivana Kiripati making their debuts, with teenage back rower Ailish Quinn winning her first cap as a replacement during the final quarter.

Ireland complete their Summer Series with a final warm-up fixture against Canada at Ulster’s Affidea Stadium on Saturday (kick-off 12pm – tickets are available to buy here). The Canadians arrive in Belfast as the world’s second-ranked team, and fresh from beating the USA 42-10.

Monaghan was sidelined for last year’s WXV1 tournament, during which hosts Canada claimed a 21-8 win over Ireland. Yellow cards for props Linda Djougang and Niamh O’Dowd proved costly, before Bemand’s charges won the second half 5-0.

This week’s rematch with one of the game’s global heavyweights is the ideal preparation for the girls in green leading into the World Cup, and three exciting pool clashes with Japan, Spain, and New Zealand on successive Sundays.

“We have another challenge to come against Canada. It was great to see some new blood out there in (different) combinations, and we’re looking forward to putting our best foot forward in Belfast and then getting on the plane to the World Cup,” added Monaghan.