The six female nations: Ireland expects “Incredible Italy Challenge” – Bemand

The Ireland coach Scott Bemand says that his players are aware of the “incredible challenge” that they will have to face in the match of the six women’s nations on Sunday in Parma against an Italian team that defeated them in the championship last year.

The Irish looked in a potential territory of the wooden spoon a year ago after losing the 27-21 against Italians in the second round at the RDS.

The subsequent victories on Wales and Scotland have obtained a milestone in third place that gained the qualification for the World Cup this year, but Bemand says that he and his players have the utmost respect for the Italians as they aim for the first away victory of Ireland in the competition since 2021.

Ireland enters the match on Sunday after having competed well against France in the opening of last weekend in Belfast only to lose 27-15.

“In these days Italy has a more structured version of yourself. It was quite fun to look at them as in whatever could happen,” said the coach of Ireland.

“Now they have a little more sensitive with what they are trying to do. So we know that we expect a strong game of box football and we are preparing for this.

“Our goal, as always, is to get our best game out there and if we do it, we will be fine, but the Italians will not roll and make us easy for us.”

Ireland followed their third place in the six nations of last year with autumn victories on Australia and on the world champions New Zealand and Bemand believe that its players now have a belief that there was not when they faced Italy a year ago in the healing fabric of the six nations of Ireland, when the Irish have lost all five their games under the previous coach McWilliams.

“We said it after the game (against Italy). You lost a game that you should have won and in the previous six nations they were losing games that did not deserve to win.

“There has been a big step of performance, but almost not having the permission or trust to do it. Now I am a group that thinks differently.”