Fiona Tuite didn't get the memo. Thank God.
Don’t give your opponents anything to pin up on the dressing room wall, goes the instruction from most management teams.
Tell them you are looking forward to the challenge and that you know your last performance, even if you’ve hammered your previous opponent, won’t be good enough on Sunday.
"Yeah, this is all-out war," is Tuite's parting shot, a line she delivers with a smile before striding confidently out of the room after Friday's press conference in Exeter city centre.
Ireland haven’t beaten France since 2017, an eight-game run where the closest they’ve come was a 12-point defeat in Belfast last March.
Two years previous, Les Bleues won 53-3 at Musgrave Park and last year, Ireland rallied to salvage some pride in a 38-17 defeat in Le Mans.
France arrive at this juncture after a 57-10 win over South Africa and earlier victories over Italy and Brazil.
Ireland, meanwhile, impressed for large spells in wins over Japan and Spain, while they failed to fire a shot in the 40-0 loss to New Zealand last Sunday.
Tuite, the lock turned back row, believes her side can take the next step when they face off in the Women’s Rugby World Cup quarter-final tomorrow (1pm, live on RTÉ).
"I just have out-and-out belief that we're going to do this," the 28-year-old Dubliner told reporters.
"We're building such momentum. The vibe in camp has been incredible this week.
"I just have no doubt, we're in such a good place.
"Last weekend, yeah, result was crap but we’re going to use everything we have from that.
"There's definitely an air of excitement and we know it’s do or die. We’re buzzing for Sunday.
"We know it's going to be such a physical battle against the French, it always is.
"We've worked so hard, we believe so much that this is our time, and we've no doubt we're going to go all the way.
'She brings such ferocity in attack and defence' - Fiona Tuite is delighted to welcome a new back row partner as Aoife Wafer makes her comeback #RTERugby #RTESport #WRWC2025 pic.twitter.com/pDqCdi420m
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 13, 2025
"We're really excited. This is knockout rugby.
"There is going to be that challenge, and I'm sure the game will play out slightly differently to other games because it is championship rugby.
"But yeah, mentally, we stay switched on, we stay in that fight. And, yeah, this is all-out war."
Tuite, who missed the Black Ferns loss and "balled my eyes out after the anthem", won most of her 19 caps in the second row.
An emotional Sam Monaghan pays tribute to injured co-captain Edel McMahon and promises she'll be back for the semi-final #RTERugby #RTESport #WRWC2025 https://t.co/i74RJ3tZzE pic.twitter.com/6Is8i85IpP
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) September 12, 2025
She comes in at blindside flanker in place of Grace Moore, while Aoife Wafer is back from injury to replace Edel McMahon, who sits out with a bang picked up last weekend.
"It was slightly daunting initially if I’m honest, but I've loved it," said the Ulster forward of her move to the back row.
"I’m new enough, relatively, to the forwards so to have that change was exciting but it’s great, a little bit more time in the loose so you have a little bit more freedom, more time on the ball on the edges.
"I wouldn’t care where I play as long as I am part of the squad. The versatility helps but wherever the team needs me, I’ll go."
Head coach Scott Bemand spoke about presenting France with some different pictures this week and Tuite was asked what’s required to stay in the tournament.
"It’s going to take relentlessness," she said.
"We know for sure that playing against a team of France's calibre, it's going to be tough.
"It's going to be an absolute physical battle and we can't switch off at any stage, and that's something we're prepared to do.
"We're such a fit, strong team, that we know we're going to just have to keep fighting and fighting.
"Tactically, we've things in place now to deal with that.
"It's going to be war.
"We’re going to surprise them with things, and no doubt they'll surprise us as well.
"We're really excited to bring our dominant performance, to put our stamp on this game, and to get that win and get us into the semi-finals.
"I've no doubt that we’ve another gear in us.
"The New Zealand game really set us up nicely, physically and from a speed and tactical point of view to go and really chase this game.
"We continue to grow and push ourselves tactically and physically and I think there’s a next level and a new high to come on Sunday from us."
Tuite's switch to the back row means she'll dovetail with Wafer for the first time and it's a partnership she's looking forward to.
"It's absolutely huge having her back," she said.
"We are all delighted. We’ve taken quite a few knocks as a team so to have Aoife back in the squad is phenomenal. She’s worked so hard to get back into the squad.
"She brings such ferocity in attack and defence so it’s amazing to have her back.
"She’ll slot in like she always does and fingers crossed she’ll work her magic.
"She's flying it, lines of communication, everything, there’s excitement around it because there’s so much in the media but as a team to have her back, it feels great.
"It will be hard coming back having not played a game, to come in at this speed and ferocity will be challenging but we all have her back, we’re with her every step of the way.
"I’m delighted to play alongside her in the back row. I’ll be on her shoulder every step of the way."
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Watch Ireland v France in the Women's Rugby World Cup quarter-final on Sunday from 12.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio. All other quarter-finals on RTÉ Player
