Molloy urges home supporters to get behind team
SKIPPER Claire Molloy is calling on the Irish fans to get behind the team from the kick-off as the hosts bid to get their Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign off to a winning start against Australia in UCD this evening. The 29-year-old doctor took over the captaincy when Niamh Briggs was ruled out because of injury, and says home support can be vital. ‘The crowd can play an absolutely massive role. We will be looking to them to get behind us and support us especially in the first 20 minutes when we make turnovers and make big defensive and attacking plays. ‘We’ve used them before down in Donnybrook this year against France and they were massive when we were pushing France back into their own 22 and their own five. ‘They really got behind us and that drove us on and that’s what we are really looking for, for the crowd to become our 16th player.’ Molloy partners Ashleigh Baxter and Heather O’Brien in a new look back row and is aware of the impact a good Irish performance at the tournament can have. ‘It’s overwhelming to think about the impact that it’s going to have and the legacy that the IRFU and World Rugby have created with this tournament. ‘It’s something I hope all the girls will take great pride in but I don’t want them to think about it until the tournament is finished,’ said Molloy, who will be winning her 54th cap this evening. ‘The coverage is amazing, to think that this number of people will be paying attention to our sport from where it’s come from. Nine years ago, the taxi driver would ask if you were a supporter if you turned up in your kit in the airport. Now the whole country knows about it and they’re really getting behind us. ‘We’ve seen with the grand slam how the support can grow. Momentum is a massive thing in sport and it’s even bigger in Ireland. We love a bandwagon but it’s all about game one and building momentum. ‘I’ve got such good leaders on the pitch with me, the most important thing since getting this role is that I’ve got to do my job on the pitch. If we can get the momentum going like we did in 2014, then I think we can go a bit further.’