Don't even attempt to tell Stacey Flood that Saturday’s visit of England is a foregone conclusion.
Ireland face the biggest test in rugby this weekend when they welcome the Red Roses to Cork in the Guinness Six Nations, with John Mitchell’s juggernaut looking to take a further step towards a seventh title in a row.
The odds are stacked against an upset. England have won 31 Six Nations games on the trot, and their only defeat in any competition since 2019 was in the World Cup final against New Zealand two and a half years ago.
Twelve months ago, Ireland were overawed at Twickenham in front of more than 50,000 people as England scored 14 tries in an 88-10 win. The only consolation that afternoon was that it ended a three-year run of Ireland being nilled in that fixture.
Scott Bemand’s side have been bullish this week though, and the head coach – who spent eight years as an assistant with England before joining Ireland in 2023 – insisted his side believe they can win, even if very few others do.
They have pulled off a major shock in the last year, defeating world champions New Zealand in the WXV in September, but they are also leaning on a major Sevens scalp from early in 2024, when several of this current XVs team were won their first World SVNS Series title by defeating Australia in Perth.
"We had never beaten Australia up until that point," says Flood, one of several Sevens players who are now back full-time with the XVs programme.
"I played on the series for 10 years and we had never beaten Australia up until that point.
"Where does that belief come from, or how do you even believe in that goal? Beating them at home in a final and frustrating the life out of them in things that they usually get easy."
And in a passionate rallying cry ahead of Saturday’s game, the full-back says belief is a powerful tool.
"Obviously there's belief there, and in this group there's so much belief in what we're doing and we're getting confidence.
"We're not just pulling it out thin air. We're getting confidence from the training we're doing and the layers we're building.
"We are Ireland. We are wearing that green jersey. That is your coat of armour and you're going out representing your country. There's no better feeling."
Having played intermittently for the XVs team during her Sevens career, the 28-year-old has been ever-present for Scott Bemand’s side since the Olympic Games in Paris last summer, and will earn her 17th cap on Saturday.
The return of Flood, along with several other Sevens internationals, has significantly contributed to their uptick in form as they look to make a splash at the World Cup this summer.
And the Dublin woman says there’s no limit for where this Irish team can go in the long-term.
"When you're dealing with a group of girls who are side by side, they'll put their body on the line for you. It's just so special.
"And when you're gaining the metres and getting the little wins, or winning a lineout or scrum, that's just building and building confidence.
"I think you can see that belief in the squad. I don't think it's like fearing where someone is ranked because we've come up the ranks now and hopefully we still keep going and pushing on because there's no roof or there's no ceiling to this team."
Flood wasn't playing during last year’s heavy defeat at Twickenham, but is familiar with a number of England’s backline from her Sevens days, including her opposite number Ellie Kildunne (below).
The England full-back is the reigning World Player of the Year and marked her 50th cap for England with a hat-trick in their 67-12 win against Wales last time out, among 39 tries in a half-century of appearances.
"She has amazing abilities and you'll never shy away from the fact that she has got World Player of the Year, that's an amazing accolade for anybody.
"I think we can have a look at her as a player and give her the credit that she deserves because she's brought women's rugby on leaps and bounds and you have to respect that. I do think her team do a lot for her as well. It's not just a one-person game and a lot has to come off for her to get her moments.
"As a 15, that's what I've learned, you have to have a lot of patience before you get the ball. But I think if we just bring it back and focus on what we want to do as a squad, like that's all that matters.
"You shouldn't be afraid of the fact of who's standing next to you because it's just 15 women v 15 women on that starting whistle. And I think if we start how we want to go and we end how we want to go, that's all that matters," Flood says.
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