We all saw the news late last week. The prodigal daughter returns after a two-year exile.
Exeter's Cliodhna Moloney made her long-awaited return to Irish camp last week as they began preparations for a must win game against the Welsh in Virgin Media Park this weekend.
Speaking with the media head coach Scott Bemand noted how he felt it was the right time to bring Moloney back into the fray.
We've been tracking how she's been playing and we got to a point where we feel it is the right time. We are carrying 2 hookers within the 36, then we have 2 training panellist hookers who are relatively recent conversions to the position. So just looking at performance, Sarah (Delaney) has unfortunately picked up a shoulder knock so it was a right time to give her (Moloney) an opportunity.
He also noted the experience that Moloney will bring to the team especially as they approach the half point of the competition and have a must win game looming.
You're going into these Six Nations games that carry a bit of weight, its going to be a good ding-dong battle against Wales, so having a few caps and a few experiences under your belt I think probably gives you something that you can fall back on
Vice captain Edel McMahon is very familiar with the quirks of Moloney as not only has she played with her for many years but they are also housemates. Speaking about the newest addition to the squad McMahon explained how much of an asset Moloney will be to the team.
I think I know her well. I've been very privileged to play with her her for a long time, both at Wasps and now at Chiefs. I know the standard that she lives by day-to-day, what she brings on the pitch and yeah she's slotted in very well.
Speaking about what she will bring to the squad McMahon said:
She'll bring her aggression and an assertiveness around the park. She carries well, she's slotted in really well with the girls already, She's just gone about her business and gotten straight to it
READ ALSO: Eimear Considine - Cliodhna Moloney Will Be A Huge Addition To A Team Growing In Confidence
Wales are up next for the girls in green as they make the trip down to Cork to take them on in the newly named Virgin Media Park. Speaking about preparation for the upcoming clash Bemand said that he has been reminding the team that even though they have been faced with two straight losses, they need to realise what they did right against the Italians and work to convert those opportunities.
There was a lot of good stuff that went on against Italy so this week has been about reminding the girls that there is some good stuff that they did and they got to tap into that and perhaps rather than making it harder for ourselves to win games we give ourselves permission to go and convert some of that pressure points
For McMahon facing Wales this weekend is all too familiar as she togs out against a number of them regularly over in the PWR. Speaking about what's ahead she said:
For me it's a familiarity piece, I mean you could say that for a good few of the nations, but I think it takes away the element of surprise. You play them week in week out so you feel more familiar with how they play, you can pick out players and identify individual brilliance maybe or what they are weak at so that we can go and target it. So that familiarity that we can bring into the squad will be a major benefit
It is shaping up to being a cracker of a clash this weekend in Cork. Both sides go into the game winless and have major points to prove. Wales currently sit at 6th in the table with Ireland just above them, points difference being the separating factor.
Tickets are still available for this weekends game, which kicks off at 4:45pm this Saturday, and can be found here
