Ireland head coach Adam Griggs feels his squad are getting more accustomed to what he expects of them ahead of the November double header.
Griggs took charge of his first Six Nations campaign earlier this year following the debacle of last year’s World Cup. Home wins over Wales and Italy and away defeats to England and France went to form, though the home reversal at the hands of Scotland was a disappointing day at the office.
In truth, it is a period of transition and that is clearly evident for the matchday 23 for Sunday’s clash with USA at Donnybrook (kick-off 1pm).
Full-back Lauren Delany and winger Laura Sheehan will make their debuts, with Emma Hooban and 16-year-old Beibhinn Parsons poised to do likewise off the bench.
Throw in Eimear Considine returning to the back three after a year out travelling and a new-look half-back pairing of Ailsa Hughes and Nikki Caughey, and it’s clear that the head coach is beginning to put his own stamp on the role.
"The depth [of talent] is definitely growing for us," he told RTÉ Sport. "I’m still very much a fan of having our experienced players experience these Test matches. There are no matches in the summer after the Six Nations, so it’s not about making wholesale changes, but the four new caps have definitely earned their spots. It’s exciting for them and it keeps our more experienced players on their toes."
And what of the new caps? The inclusion of Ballinasloe’s Parsons (below) on the bench, who won’t turn 17 until the end of the month has raised eyebrows, but Griggs knows her better than most.
The teenager won a European bronze medal with the Ireland Under-18 Sevens team and followed that up with a Home Nations U-18 Sevens title in July when Griggs coached the Irish girls.
"Hopefully if things go well, she can get on the field and show is what she has got"
"Anyone who has watched her play over the past few months will have seen her physical capabilities and how much she has imposed herself at U18 level. I think in the last Home Nations tournament she scored 12 tries. That was an indicator, that physically, she looked like she could really challenge our senior players.
"The idea was to bring her in as a development player and see how she copes physically first, but what she has shown in the past four camps is an understanding of the game. She has certainly earned a spot on the bench. Hopefully if things go well, she can get on the field and show is what she has got," who sees her as a player operating across the back three.
And it is the back three which will see fresh faces for the visit of the USA, with Lauren Delany taking the 15 jersey and Laura Sheehan on the left wing.
Delany came to the attention of the management team at IQ Rugby screening in England, where the net is spread wide to find potential representative and international players.
"We said to Lauren we like what we see, send us on your footage in the Premiership. In the first two weeks Lauren got Try of the Premiership one week, and the next, was setting up the try of the week. From that perspective we couldn’t have asked for more."
With a strong knowledge of the interpro scene from his Leinster days, remarks that Sheehan was a standout player this year at provincial level carry serious weight.
"You want to see her go, she's a wee rocket, very quick, very dynamic carrier. What she brings physically around the field, it's exciting to see her in the backline."
Front rower Hooban is likely to make her bow during the course of the game, and her progress is a sign of the times of the women’s game in Ireland according to Griggs.
"Emma was playing rugby from seven, eight years old. We are seeing a youth rugby system in play as opposed to maybe a few years ago when some of our girls were starting in college to play. Emma is one who actually has a good bit of experience and her ball carrying around the park is phenomenal. She reminds me a lot of Cliona Moloney, they are very similar players. Cliona is unfortunately injured, so Emma gets that chance."
Griggs is also delighted to be able to mould his side with more time together as a group. Prior to the opening Six Nations game in France last year, there was just three weeks to put plans and structures in place.
"It was the hardest challenge we had," he says reflectively, but things are changing. There have been four camps in the lead-in to the November double-header with a trip to Twickenham to follow, a combination of one and two-day training camps."
This will be a third outing in as many weeks for the Americans and ranked three places above Ireland in fourth, Griggs is keenly aware of the threats they will pose.
"If we can get our game right and everything that we've been trying to bring in the last few weeks, I think that's probably more important for us at this stage"
"I suppose the last couple of weeks with them playing matches is always good for us to be able to have a look and see what they bring.
"We’ve taken a couple of their mannerisms and how they play the game but a lot of the focus for us is on us and as I said, the learning process for us and making sure that we can get what we need to get right is probably more important than what an opposition brings.
"Absolutely we will look at a couple of their set-piece and what they run off so we're informed and we know what we're doing there but really, if we can get our game right and everything that we've been trying to bring in the last few weeks, I think that's probably more important for us at this stage."
With a match against a formidable England side to follow a week later, it is a month where Griggs will learn a great deal more about his Irish squad with the Six Nations looming on the horizon.
"You don't play rugby to lose," he says. "So, absolutely, we want to make sure that we're putting ourselves in the best position to win these games. But again, it's about really building and focusing on the Six Nations as well and with the squad we have at the moment, they're getting a feel for what my coaching style regardless.
"I'm not going to change too much. So. it's about making sure they understand those systems and I think that if they can put that on the field, we will get results."
Listen to live and exclusive match commentary of Ireland v USA this Sunday on RTE Radio 1 Extra from 12:55pm
