All going well Maeve Óg O'Leary will earn her fifth Ireland cap in October’s WXV3 series in Dubai and she’ll win it under a third head coach in a two-year spell.
A replacement for Ciara Griffin in the former captain’s second last game, against USA in 2021, O’Leary’s debut was overseen by Adam Griggs.
The Tipperary back row’s next three caps were picked up under Greg McWilliams, who departed following their Six Nations wooden spoon last May.
Scott Bemand is the new man is charge and O’Leary, on a full-time contract with the IRFU, met the former England coach this week as he started in the High Performance Centre in Blanchardstown, Dublin. First impressions are positive.
"Scott started this week in the HPC, which is great and he’s just doing his job," said the 23-year-old Munster flanker.
"He is, of course, watching the [interpro] games and there’ll be selection for the WXV in October but just had general conversations, general chit-chat.
"He’ll be working behind the scenes, he’s really experienced and has all that knowledge under his belt.
"I’m sure he knows what he’s looking for but as players our focus is predominantly on the provinces now.
"It’s nice to have it like that and he can set up his own thing in the background. It will be great to get it running and kick off and get selected as well.
"He’s been introduced, every single squad member has met him, on a [virtual] call or in person. We’ve all met him.
"I know some others met him previously but I met him myself this week, in person."
Ireland face Kazakhstan, Colombia and Spain in the WXV3 in October as they look to put a traumatic Six Nations campaign behind them.
In addition, a second captain, Nichola Fryday, Ireland's stand-out player from the five losses, stepped away from international rugby in the summer.
O’Leary, who will be hoping to help Munster to victory over Leinster in Energia Park tomorrow in the third round of the Vodafone Interprovincial series, says that for all the good relationships built with younger fans around the home games in the Six Nations, and the talk of battling to the end, now is the time to get some results on the board.
With that in mind, she says she doesn’t know if the Sevens contingent, who achieved Olympic qualification last May will be drafted in for Dubai games.
"I think we are aware that results are really important and we didn’t go to any of those Six Nations matches to lose, you never do," she added.
"The girls in the Sevens programme have their goal of the Olympics, which is unbelievable, and now they obviously have to work towards that for the next year.
"I’m not sure what will happen with any crossover of squads.
"We’ve seen it before but I just think [the 15s] training together, getting more cohesive, getting more time together before tournaments [is important].
"And if they come in they’ll be able to slot right in and if they don’t that’s our job to go out and be able to perform.
"They are outstanding athletes but we have girls on the 15s team as well that are, but either way we would be happy with that crossover but the decision is not down to us so we’ll just have to go off whatever the IRFU decide."
While there have been no shortage of clean slates and fresh starts, O’Leary believes Bemand’s experience helping England to six championship titles and two World Cup finals, will help Ireland to move off a low rung.
"Definitely, coming into a new competition and having a new coach it’s going to be a new beginning," said the Ballina woman, who works part time in public relations.
"We’ll probably have a different shapes, different moves.
"I think experiencing what we did in the last six months is going to do nothing but bring us closer together.
"We know we have a big job at hand so I think people will be coming in with a fresh mind and ready to kick on. People want to show what we can do and kick on from the Six Nations. There’ll be a feeling of a fresh start.
"The [tight] schedules are always like that when there is a new coach coming in but we have all of the assistant staff that are still going to be here.
"Obviously, the player group is going to be relatively similar. He’s going to slot in and bring in his ideas.
"I know he’s been working with the IRFU for the last three to five weeks so I’m sure he’ll be in a good place and he’s been in a top-notch environment for the last nine-ten years.
"I’m sure that he will slot in and as players we are willing to learn. We are all playing in a high [performance] environment so I’m sure it will come together quite nicely.
"We are definitely looking forward to it."
WXV3 FIXTURES
13 October
Ireland v Kazakhstan, 4.30pm Irish time
21 October
Ireland v Colombia, 2pm Irish time
28 October
Ireland v Spain, 2pm Irish time
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