Ireland’s Dannah O’Brien thinks it is going to be an “unbelievable experience” to run out in front of 45,000 plus supporters at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Irish squad will arrive in London at the weekend for their round four Guinness Women’s Six Nations clash as massive underdogs with England hunting another title and another Grand Slam.
But the visitors will have a spring in their step after a bonus point 36-5 triumph over Wales last Saturday at Virgin Media Park - their first victory in the competition since round five in 2022 - and they are still battling it out for third place with two games to go.
“We had a good two weeks of training heading into the Wales game after the Italy game,” 20-year-old stand-off O’Brien, who now has 13 full caps, said.
“We had a lot of ‘work-ons’ and it was good to be able to get those things right in training and then apply them in the Welsh match. We put in a good performance against Wales and we were all very pleased to get the win.
“We had an unbelievable scrum against Wales and that allowed us in the backs to do our thing in a bit of space while the penalties that the forwards earned also allowed us to gain good field position and stay on the front foot.
“The pack gave us momentum while they were carrying well in open play and were breaking tackles and we also had quick ruck ball so, as a stand-off, they were great to play behind.
“We now know the levels that we are capable of as a team and this is just the start. We did some good things against France and Italy and then it was a more complete performance against Wales so we can take that forward now.”
Healthy crowds have been one big positive of this year’s tournament so far and the Irish team were cheered on by lots of people in round two at the RDS in Dublin and in round three at Virgin Media Park in Cork.
“The two home crowds we have had recently egging us on and making a lot of noise has been brilliant,” O’Brien, who started playing mini rugby at the Tullow club in County Carlow as a youngster, stated.
“Rather than seeing more eyes on us as pressure, we try to use it to our advantage and it is so good to know that so many people are following us now. They give us confidence to move forward as a team.
“The crowds throughout this tournament for all the countries have been encouraging, it is great to see all of the women’s teams getting more followers game on game, and this weekend will take that to another level yet again.
“It’s going to be really exciting, I don’t think many players in our team will have ever experienced a crowd like what will be at Twickenham before so we just have to embrace it.
“I know that a good few players’ family and friends are going over for the game so although there will be a lot of England fans for sure we will be able to hear our supporters too.
“It is going to be an unbelievable experience.”
O’Brien, who now plays for Old Belvedere and Leinster, helped the Wolfhounds to win the Celtic Challenge earlier this year and exudes a calmness out there on the pitch usually associated with someone more experienced.
She made her full Test debut back in 2022 against Japan and said: “I feel settled in the squad now.
“I came into the squad at first a couple of years ago and things built up gradually and then WXV 3 last year in Dubai was a really great time for me.
“Having the squad away together for a few weeks with no distractions really helped us gel and I think we have built on the win over there and that gelling period well going into this year’s Six Nations.
“Things are only going to keep growing from here really and I think we have a really good blend of more experienced players and the young guns now.
“I feel we are in a good spot and all of our focus just now is around taking on England.”
