Sam Monaghan insists there is no danger of Ireland underestimating Spain as they bid to secure a quarter-final place.
Scott Bemand's charges are well placed to claim a spot in the last-eight following their opening-round win over Japan at Franklin’s Gardens.
After New Zealand's comprehensive 54-8 success against Las Leonas, Ireland know that a win will guarantee progress to the knockout stages.
The two teams have recent history.
Nine of the Ireland squad, including Monaghan, for tomorrow’s tie played in the 2021 World Cup qualifying defeat to Spain in Parma, a result that set the team on a downward spiral from which they are just recovering, while 12 were involved in the 2023 WXV3 victory in Dubai.
The aggregate score across those meetings is 22-20 in Ireland’s favour.
That’s how close the games have been but since that, Spain, perpetual Rugby Europe winners, have had mixed results and were trounced 97-7 by England in a warm-up game at the start of the month.
At this stage, revenge is not a dish on the captain’s mind against the team ranked 13th in the world, eight places behind Ireland.
"No, not particularly," Monaghan, who made her debut in the 2021 clash and was yellow-carded, said.
"Each time we played they we have evolved as a squad. It was great to get that reconnection in WXV.
"We had some really tough times and they came together before WXV and it was a great competition for us to get out game out there and build that foundation.
"They have some exciting players.
"They have evolved since then as have we, so it's going to be an exciting game and they're definitely not to be underestimated.
"There's a lot of players in that [qualifying] competition that are here now.
"I think, if anything, it's always fuelled us to be better, to never leave a stone unturned.
"We've got a lot of experience over the last couple of years in this squad.
"We've performed in some big games which can give us confidence but we know on Sunday we have to work as hard as we can to get that performance out there."
There will be a reunion of sorts for Monaghan with Gloucester-Hartpury team-mate Laura Delgado starting on the bench for Juan Gonzalez Marruecos’s side, who have eight players from the squad that beat Ireland in Italy involved tomorrow.
"I've been lucky enough to play alongside some of the Spanish players, Laura Delgado at Gloucester," added the 32-year-old former Meath footballer.
"We were going through a similar space, we both hadn't qualified for the World Cup [in 2021], we just joined Gloucester-Hartpury together.
"She's a fabulous person, it'll be such an honour to play against her.
"She captains the side and has announced her retirement after this competition."
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A first World Cup knock-out stage appearance since 2014 looms and the lock forward revealed how much of a motivation that is to the squad.
"It would mean the world to us," said Monaghan.
"We've all worked incredibly hard.
"There has been a lot of sacrifices, setbacks, so to do it for everyone that's been along with the Green Wave at home, the families that have seen us go through the tough times and the good times, it would mean a lot to us.
"Just being able to put that jersey in the best place it's been in the last 11 years, we're really looking forward to it.
"It's an exciting time, but as I said, our main focus at the minute is on Sunday against Spain."
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