Tipp’s Wall eager for new Inter-pro campaign

By Cliona Foley

Tipperary rugby star Dorothy Wall has given the new timing of the 2023-24 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Championships a firm thumbs up, calling it a “a breath of fresh air.”

The IRFU have experimented with the competition’s scheduling in recent years to try to find the optimal window for it and it was played in January last season.

The women’s inter-provincials have now been firmly positioned at the start of the season and kick off next Saturday, August 12th, when defending champions Munster travel to Ulster to start their bid for four in-a-row.

The 23-year-old flying Fethard flanker feels this is the perfect time for it.

“It’s a breath of fresh air. You’re a rugby player, you want to play rugby and I think this will work better,” says the dynamic Irish back row.

It also now doubles up as the perfect international warm-up ahead of World Rugby’s inaugural global WXVs, which, for Ireland in the third tier, will take place in Dubai in October.

“We’ll now have four games before we play international. I don’t’ think we’ve ever had that before. Game time is gold,” Wall observes.

It means a hectic schedule for Ireland’s proud Munster contingent who are based in the IRFU’s High Performance Centre (HPC) in Abbotstown, Dublin but they relish it.

“We train in the HPC on Mondays and Tuesdays and normally drive to Limerick after training on Tuesday, just to be there with Munster, see the set-piece and be in and around it.

“We’re off on Wednesday and, on Thursday, have gym and skills (in Dublin), get off our feet and then get on the road down to Limerick to train fully with Munster. Then it’s home on Friday to get looked after by my mother.

“Tuesdays and Thursdays are big days. It’s a lot of driving but sure look, I’m not going to play for Leinster any time soon,” Wall jokes. “I’d be disowned!”

The journeys are shared and enlivened with her three provincial teammates - Maeve Og O’Leary, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird and Aoife Doyle – who meet up at the Red Cow to get on the road together.

“Getting fit up here in Dublin and then going down to Munster for the level of coaching we get there, - the toughness and detail of those sessions - has definitely made me a better player in the last few weeks,” Wall says.

Despite her youth she is already Munster vice-captain and makes no secret of how red her rugby heart beats.

“It's why I love the game! I was obsessed when I was U16, 17 and 18, thinking about the future and the chance to go out and play for Munster. Myself, Enya Breen and Emily Lane won an Under 18 interpro and I think I probably bring that up in every interview I do. They are just core memories for me and my family,” she enthuses.

“My brother (Andrew) is playing for Munster now too (Schools U18s). There’s actually a clash in fixtures on one weekend, so we’ll see where the parents go!” she laughs. “Munster is really huge in our family, there’s great pride in it. I’ll do anything to wear that jersey.”

Her rampaging style at loose forward certainly embodies the province’s famous fighting spirit but, if any additional motivation was needed, the timing of this season’s Vodafone Interpros provides it.

It offers the chance to immediately audition for new Ireland Head Coach Scott Bemand, who has spent the last eight years with England’s all-conquering Red Roses.

It's an appointment that excites her: “He’s a women’s head coach and he comes from a winning women’s team and it'll be good too to have an insight into that (England’s) success.”

First up is the mission to bag a record 17th title for Munster whose management features two provincial legends in Head Coach Niamh Briggs and assistant coach Fiona Hayes.

“There’s detail and hard work and fitness gone in everywhere, especially in the contact game,” Wall reveals.

“We’ve put a lot of emphasis on our execution around the ruck. Being good in that physical battle and being really clean around that breakdown, that’s a Munster hallmark.”

Munster’s 2023-24 Vodafone Women’s Interprovincial Fixtures

August 12: v Ulster, City of Armagh RFC, 3.00pm (Live TG4 YouTube).

August 19: v Connacht, Musgrave Park, 3:15pm. (Live TG4).

August 26: v Leinster, Energia Park, 4:45pm. (Live TG4).

September 2 – Final (Live TG4).