Tierney expects physical game against France

Ireland head coach Tom Tierney expects Thursday's Women Rugby World Cup 2017 winner-takes-all clash against "the team of the tournament so far" France to be a physical encounter.

Ireland need to win Thursday's third and final Pool C game against Les Bleus at the Belfield Bowl to qualify for the semi-finals.

France top Pool C on 10 points after bonus-point victories over Japan and Australia, with Ireland on eight points after they failed to pick up bonus points against the Wallaroos and the Cherry Blossoms.

Ireland beat Australia 19-17 and Japan 24-14, but the French whitewashed Australia 48-0 and thrashed Japan 72-14 in their opening two matches.

And Tierney says Ireland must improve on their nervy starts against Australia and Japan to have any chance of beating France.

"It's going to be a physical game. If we can get the first ten, 15 minutes under our belts and get ourselves into the game we'll be in a good place," he said.

"The French are in flying form, arguably the team so far of the tournament. The last few games we've played against them, they've all been tight affairs.

"We expect nothing different tomorrow night, as long as get ourselves organised, play in the right areas of the field, there's a physicality to our game and there's a real purpose to our game with us playing real quality, cup final rugby."

Tierney made seven changes to his side to face Japan, a gamble which looked like backfiring disastrously as Japan led 14-0 at half-time, but his bold selection strategy means only four Ireland players, Sene Naoupu, Alison Miller, Nora Stapleton and Claire Molloy, have played 80 minutes of both Pool C matches.

Thursday's match is the third in eight days for both teams, and Tierney hopes his well-rested Ireland team will have the edge at UCD on Thursday evening.

"The girls are in great shape," he said. 

"We've broken the tournament into three phases. We made it hard for ourselves in the first two games but we've been building towards this game.

"The girls can't wait now. Mentally and physically they are raring to go."

Ireland: H Tyrrell; E Considine, J Murphy, S Naoupu, A Miller; N Stapleton, N Cronin; L Peat, L Lyons, A Egan; S Spence, ML O'Reilly; C Griffin, C Molloy [capt], P Fitzpatrick. 

Replacements: C Moloney, R O'Reilly, C O'Connor, A Baxter, H O'Brien, L Muldoon, K Fitzhenry, L Galvin.

eir Sport's coverage of the Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 is sponsored by Aon.

Ireland face France in their third and final Pool C match at UCD's Belfield Bowl on Thursday, 17 August. [kick off 7.45pm]

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