Jenny Murphy has blasted the IRFU after Ireland finished bottom of the TikTok Women's Six Nations following a heavy 36-10 defeat to Scotland in Edinburgh on Saturday night.
It is the first time since 2004 that Ireland earned the wooden spoon in the tournament after a disastorous campaign which saw Greg McWilliams’ charges lose all their games, only scoring three tries.
Following yet another hammer blow for women's rugby in Ireland, mood was low in the Virgin Media studio as Murphy, Sene Naoupu and Fiona Hayes disected the game and its wider implications.
Host Joe Molloy asked Murphy directly whether she had faith or not in the IRFU in 2023 with regards to the women's game.
"I have faith in some people within there that are fantastic, they care about the game and they want to do better," she replied.
"But when looking at historically what they've done for the women's game, I've got no cause to be hopeful.
"I think it's more so from my heart going I wish to god we were going in the right direction, we've learned and we're going to be ambitious and do right by the team but on paper I'd probably be called an idiot for thinking that it was the case to place trust in them.
"I think we need more public support in terms of getting behind the girls and demanding better.
"We're the best men's team in the world and look where we are on the women's side.
"It's not good enough."
🗯 "I have faith in some people in there.
🗯 "But I've got no cause to be hopeful.
🗯 "We're the best men's team in the world, look where we are on the women's side?"
Jenny Murphy on if she has faith in the IRFU when it comes to women's rugby.#SCOvIRE #TikTokW6N pic.twitter.com/fz66TYHfxc— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 29, 2023
Jenny Murphy blasts structure of women's rugby in Ireland
Murphy also compared Ireland to the other Six Nations countries in terms of the structures they have put in place saying that the IRFU has "only started" that.
"This should've been done years ago," she said.
Jenny Murphy:
"Look at the things the other teams have put in place. We've only started and it's too late. It's not the girls' fault. It should've been done years ago.
"It's so frustrating that in this country there's players that are so talented and this is what they're given. pic.twitter.com/JnWRyW8pFu— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 29, 2023
"It's so frustrating that in this country there's players that are so talented and this what they've been given."
Ireland's failure to pick up a win this year has knock-on implications for the team going forward.
They are now set to compete in the third-tier of the inaugural WXV tournament that gets underway in the autumn.
In the competition Ireland can look forward to games against the likes of Kazakhstan, Colombia and Madagascar.
It's hard to believe that only eight years have passed since Ireland last won the Six Nations.
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