Edel McMahon believes Ireland have put last year's Guinness Women's Six Nations wooden spoon behind them, and are better placed to contend for a top three finish in 2024.
Scott Bemand's side begin the new season on Saturday when they take on France in Le Mans (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player).
While Ireland were well-beaten in all five games of last season's championship, there appears to be renewed optimism around the side, who enjoyed a confidence-boosting WXV campaign in Dubai in October.
The return of Sevens internationals Beibhinn Parsons and Eve Higgins also brings some experience into the group, while this season's schedule allows them to have home advantage for their meetings with Italy, Wales and Scotland, their three most winnable games.
Before they can sink their teeth into Italy at the RDS on Sunday 31 March, Ireland first have to travel to take on a French side who have scored a combined 93 points against them in their last two meetings.
But while there appears to be a gulf between the teams on paper, the Ireland co-captain says they won't show any fear on Saturday.
"I genuinely think people are excited to go after France," McMahon said.
"I don’t think those past results are a reflection on what we’re feeling as a group going forward and what we’re excited to chase after. So no there isn’t [fear]."
The flanker (below) says while Ireland still have a young and inexperienced squad, it's forced them to learn on the job.
"Just from the last Six Nations, how players have grown from that campaign to now whether it be the Interpros and then it went into Celtic Challenge, we had Dubai in between.
"Just the step-up of those younger girls the likes of Dannah [O'Brien], Aoife Dalton, they're stepping up now to be senior players and voices on the pitch. They’re taking control of those Celtic Challenge games, Dorothy [Wall] being a captain in the Clovers, and now they’re senior leaders here.
"Even their confidence and growth from that campaign to this campaign is massive. So that’s kind of the confidence that we have coming into this campaign."
For McMahon, last year's Six Nations came with an extra layer of frustration after she had to watch Ireland's struggles from the sideline due to a toe injury.
And since returning to the squad as a co-captain along Sam Monaghan for the WVX 3 series in October, she says she's keen to make up for lost time.
"It's difficult, always, to miss a Six Nation," the Exeter Chiefs backrow added.
"Literally two weeks before the campaign [in 2023], getting over the hurdle of getting selected and then picking up an injury that rules you out of the whole campaign can be quite tough. From my own personal mindset, I'm really excited to get going and get into this campaign, playing a Six Nations.
"It's a new squad, a new coaching set-up, new training identity and off the back of a positive tournament in Dubai for us. We're quite excited to get going."
Watch France v Ireland in the Women's Six Nations on Saturday from 1.45pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
