It's a new era, a new chapter and today, Ireland turn to the next page of their story under Scott Bemand as they take on Wales at Musgrave Park (4:45pm).
The recall of Clíodhna Moloney after almost two-and-a-half years ends the exile of the Exeter Chiefs hooker, who was left out of the 2022 and 2023 squads after calling out former women’s director Anthony Eddy over comments about Ireland’s failure to qualify for the World Cup.
"We got to a point where we feel it’s the right time," said Bemand during the week.
The contention that the 30-year-old was not one of the top two hookers available to a struggling Ireland team over the last two seasons was laughable.
The Galway native (above) will get her shot off the bench as Ireland bid for a first win over the Welsh since 2021; nine of the 23 from that 45-0 success in Cardiff are in the match-day panel today.
She brings a steady hand out of touch and is dynamic ball-carrier, something Ireland have missed in her absence.
In the two games so far, Ireland have only been able to claim 63% of their own lineouts, the worst rate in the competition, and the return of Moloney should go some way towards improving that record.
A lot of water has gone under the bridge since 2021, and the last two meetings have resulted in 27-19 and 31-5 wins for Ioan Cunningham’s side.
Both of the teams today come in off back-to-back losses, Ireland going down to France (38-17) and Italy (27-21), while Wales have been beaten by Scotland (20-18) and England (46-10).
Last season Ireland couldn’t handle the power of the Wales pack and they have brought Sisilia Tuipulotu back into their side at tighthead as one of four changes to the team.
Jasmine Joyce, Alisha Butchers and Keira Bevan are the other new players in.
The Wales head coach said: "We have put the fallow week to good use and had a thorough debrief of where we are after the first two games.
"The focus has been on putting the hard work in and looking at the good things we have done and what we need to tighten up on."
Ireland co-captain Edel McMahon returns to the flank after missing out against Italy in the only change for the hosts. Grace Moore drops out of the squad.
Aoife Wafer’s performances against France and Italy have been one of the main positives of the campaign so far and another strong outing by the young back row would go a long way towards an Irish win.
While Béibhinn Parsons (above) started strongly at the RDS, the Sevens star was double-teamed by the defence and made a couple of uncharacteristic handling errors thereafter. Those chances will need to be taken if Ireland are to overcome a five-point underdog status.
Defence coach Declan Danaher says she and fellow wing Katie Corrigan have been encouraged to mix it up today.
"The days are gone of just hanging out on your wing," he told RTÉ Sport.
"You see the best wingers are constantly looking for work. Their ability to create is linked with the 10 or the playmaker to get them extra touches.
"Béibhinn and Katie are two of our quickest players and we want to get them on the ball as much as possible.
"We know that if we can get them on the ball they are incredibly dangerous and the likelihood of us creating line-breaks or scoring [improves]."
Wales missed a late conversion attempt to draw their opener with Scotland and Danaher believes they could have gotten closer against England, too.
Back row Alex Callender (above) is one of four players to have a joint-high three jackal turnovers in this season, Wafer being one of the others, and lock Georgia Evans has hit 17 defensive rucks.
Danaher reckons Wales visitors will attack them at the breakdown.
"They will come hard at us there," said the former London Irish forward,
"The girls are aware we’ve got to be hot on that from minute one. They’ve got players in their back row and across the field that can carry the ball pretty quick.
"It will be a battle at the breakdown, can we keep hold of it, while they try to hunt and turn our ball over."
Wales have finished 'top’ of the second tier in the Six Nations, behind England and France, for the last two seasons and are further along in their development as a team than Bemand’s charges.
Ireland racked up 28 handling errors against Italy in near perfect conditions. The pressure won't be any less against Wales.
Looking to avoid a record eighth straight championship defeat, the hosts will be boosted by a boisterous home crowd, but they will need a vast improvement from their opening two games to have a shot.
Verdict: Wales
Ireland: Lauren Delany; Katie Corrigan, Eve Higgins, Enya Breen, Béibhinn Parsons; Dannah O'Brien, Aoibheann Reilly; Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Christy Haney; Dorothy Wall, Sam Monaghan (co-capt); Aoife Wafer, Edel McMahon (co-capt), Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Clíodhna Moloney, Niamh O'Dowd, Sadhbh McGrath, Fiona Tuite, Shannon Ikahihifo, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Nicole Fowley, Aoife Dalton.
Wales: Jenny Hesketh; Jasmine Joyce, Hannah Jones (capt), Kerin Lake, Carys Cox; Lleucu George, Keira Bevan; Gwenllian Pyrs, Carys Phillips, Sisilia Tuipulotu; Abbie Fleming, Georgia Evans; Alisha Butchers, Alex Callender, Bethan Lewis.
Replacements: Molly Reardon, Abbey Constable, Donna Rose, Natalia John, Gwennan Hopkins, Sian Jones, Kayleigh Powell, Courtney Keight.
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