‘What it does is give players time’ – Niamh Briggs says new U-20 Women’s Six Nations ‘huge’ for Ireland’s progression

Fresh after naming a 36-player training squad for the upcoming tournament, which will take place in Parma from July 4, Briggs hailed the progressive step that will help bridge the gap from underage rugby to the senior ranks.

With Ireland having secured qualification for next year’s World Cup on the back of their recent third-place Six Nations finish, this summer window provides young, emerging stars with a chance to stake their claim for what is to come ahead of an exciting period for women’s rugby.

“It’s obviously huge, it’s a natural progression for us,” said former Ireland out-half Briggs.

“For a long time, we have been looking for these pathways to be put in place. We have been looking for structures around that 18s and 20s. It’s so important.

“What it does is give players time. When you look back a couple of years ago at that trip to Japan, we had four or five 18-year-olds, it’s a really difficult place to learn, international rugby is tough.

“This gives players time to expose themselves to better opposition and I suppose expose themselves to higher level rugby, expose themselves to camp and the environment that that brings.

“It’s all a huge learning for them. Not everyone in the squad is going to go on and play senior rugby for Ireland but we have to make sure we prepare them and put them in the best possible position so that they have a chance to go and do that.

“The fact that we now have an U-18s national squad and 20s national squad, it definitely helps to bridge that gap for those players heading into senior rugby.”

Competition rules permit nations to include up to three U-23 players per match-day squad, with Briggs naming Chisom Ugwueru, Ruth Campbell, Faith Oviawe, Amanda McQuade and Ivana Kiripati in her extended training group, which will be be trimmed before departing for Italy.

Ennis native Ugwueru lit up last season’s Energia All-Ireland League (AIL), with UL Bohs’ flying winger scoring a scintillating hat-trick in the final win over Railway Union, which was the first time the Women’s AIL decider was played at the home of Irish rugby.

Briggs has worked with Ugwueru before and she has backed the youngster to kick on and take the next step in her career.

“Obviously she is a huge talent, a naturally gifted athlete, but with that, she works incredibly hard behind the scenes,” Briggs said.

“She is incredibly good in terms of the gym and her training.

“It’s a brilliant opportunity for her to develop some more rugby knowledge. I think that’s definitely something she is eager to do in order to put herself back into that shop window from a senior point of view.”