Theming is all the rage in elite level sport these days.
It sets the emotional and physical tone for a week, stressing a common goal that directs the players more towards a specific performance indicator rather than just an outcome.
One suspects that 'dominance' is a key part of this week’s theme in the Ireland camp ahead of this afternoon’s Guinness Women’s Six Nations against Italy.
It was a word used three times by Béibhinn Parsons when she spoke to the media on Wednesday, while head coach Scott Bemand and captain Erin King have dropped similar references into their interviews across the last two days.
Starting their campaign off away to world champions England last week, who have won 34 games in a row, and haven’t lost a Six Nations match since 2018, it was always likely that Ireland would be travelling to Galway this afternoon looking for their first win of the championship.
The focus on the ‘dominance’ is in large part down to how they were beaten last week.
While on the scoreboard, a 33-12 defeat to England is considerably better than they have fared against the Red Roses for a decade, the manner of the first half performance was far below what we have become used to with this team under Bemand’s stewardship.
Captain Erin King says Ireland are targetting a dominant performance when Italy visit Dexcom Stadium in round two of the #SixNations on Saturday #RTESport #RTERugby pic.twitter.com/JDmoDFrFLG
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 17, 2026
While there was a considerable improvement in the second half, Ireland were categorically dominated in the first 40 minutes at Twickenham, reflective of the 21-0 scoreline at the time.
According to Oval Advantages, England had 26 possessions to Ireland’s 16 in the opening half, but had three times as many carries which translated to 388 metres against Ireland’s 83.
Of the possession Ireland did have in the opening half, they averaged just five seconds with the ball each time compared to England’s 13, while 25% of Irish possessions ended with a penalty or turnover conceded, versus 11% for their hosts.
A large reason for that was just how forceful England were around the gainline in the opening half. Of Ireland’s first-half carries, 15% have been recorded as "negative" by Oval Advantages (as opposed to dominant or neutral), compared to 5% for England, who forced Irish ball-carriers backwards, which shut Ireland’s attacking game down.
The reality is that this is what John Mitchell’s England do to teams, and as frustrated as the Irish players and management will be with elements of that game, having it out of the way on the opening round is silver lining.
As such, this is the week that Ireland’s Six Nations championship really begins.
Four games to play, and those inside the camp have made it clear that three wins is the minimum expectation, starting with Italy at Dexcom Stadium, where a record crowd is expected at the newly renovated home of Connacht Rugby.
Ireland will also host Wales and Scotland across the next five weekends, with a stated aim of a perfect home record. If they can get something away to France at Stade Marcel Michelin next week, that’s a bonus.
Ireland had a similar start to last year’s Six Nations with an error-strewn 27-15 defeat to France in Belfast, and their response was a 54-12 win away to Italy, which bodes well ahead of welcoming the Italians to Galway this evening.
Everything clicked that afternoon in Parma as Ireland secured their bonus-point with four tries inside the opening 24 minutes, and while their defence was under pressure for stages in the opening half, they never took their foot off the gas as they scored eight tries in total, seven of which were converted by Dannah O’Brien, bringing up their biggest points haul in a Six Nations game since 2015.
"I think the Italians are better than they were [last year]," Bemand said on Thursday, when he was asked about last year’s meeting with Italy.
"It wasn't that long ago that the Italians maybe played in a slightly more chaotic way, but it looks like the Italian women are more organised, understand the plan and what they're trying to do. They take some breaking down.
"There's probably a piece around not just turning up and expecting it to happen. We've got to get our physicality, our execution correct to get to that point. And we were able to show that last year.
"I want us to go in with confidence, but we're going to have to understand that we've got to earn the right to get to that point."
Fabio Roselli’s Italy looked to be giving France a real game in Grenoble last week, training just 5-0 at half time, before eventually falling to a 40-7 defeat.
Roselli appears to have moved on from centre Beatrice Rigoni, who has tormented Ireland in recent years, but the Italian team-sheet still contains a number of players who this Irish group have struggled against in recent seasons, such as versatile centre Alyssa D’Inca, scrum-half Sofia Stefan, wing Aura Muzzo and hooker Vittoria Vecchini.
The Azzurre show five changes from the group that started last week’s defeat in France, with Stefan and Emma Stevanin coming in to form a new half-back partnership, and Gaia Buso – last week’s try-scorer – replacing Francesca Granzotto on the left wing.
In the second row, 20-year-old Elettra Costantini makes her first Test start after a debut off the bench last week, while Gaia Maris swaps in for Silvia Turani at loosehead prop.
Bemand has never picked the same Ireland XV two games in a row, and the head coach has again tinkered with his side, making three big calls.
Robyn O’Connor (above) comes in for Vicky Elmes Kinlan on the wing, with the uncapped 20-year-old given a chance to impress after scoring five tries for the Wolfhounds in their Celtic Challenge campaign.
The head coach has also dropped two of his regular starters to the bench, with Dorothy Wall replaced by Ruth Campbell and Nancy McGillivray coming in for Eve Higgins.
Both Campbell and McGillivray impressed as replacements at Twickenham a week ago, and if they can maintain that level of performance at Dexcom Stadium this evening, it could give Ireland a lineout platform and a direct carrying threat to build their game on.
And with the returning Sam Monaghan joining Wall, Higgins, Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Anna McGann among the replacements, it gives the home side an impressive bench, which they hope can come on and dominate.
Verdict: Bonus-point win for Ireland
Ireland: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Nancy McGillivray, Aoife Dalton, Robyn O'Connor; Dannah O'Brien, Emily Lane; Ellena Perry, Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Fiona Tuite; Brittany Hogan, Erin King (capt), Aoife Wafer.
Replacements: Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones, Sadhbh McGrath, Sam Monaghan, Dorothy Wall, Katie Whelan, Eve Higgins, Anna McGann.
Italy: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; Gaia Buso, Alyssa D'Incà, Sara Mannini, Aura Muzzo; Emma Stevanin, Sofia Stefan; Gaia Maris, Vittoria Vecchini, Alessia Pilani; Valeria Fedrighi, Elettra Costantini; Francesca Sgorbini, Alissa Ranuccini, Elisa Giordano (capt).
Replacements: Chiara Cheli, Silvia Turani, Vittoria Zanette, Giordana Duca, Beatrice Veronese, Alia Bitonci, Veronica Madia, Michela Sillari.
Referee: Ella Goldsmith (RA)
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