Ireland want to be World Cup contenders - Monaghan

Ireland co-captain Sam Monaghan says her side are eyeing a run to next year's Rugby World Cup final after being drawn alongside New Zealand, Japan and Spain in Pool C.

They failed to qualify for the last tournament but are building impressively towards the 2025 finals in England with recent wins over Australia in a Belfast Test and defending champions New Zealand in WXV1.

Ireland also beat New Zealand on their way to finishing fourth at the 2014 World Cup but failed to reach the same stage when they hosted the 2017 edition.

"We sat down last year before the WXV3 tournament and said we want to be World Cup contenders," said second row Monaghan, who shares captaincy duties with Edel McMahon.

"That's where we want to be this time next year, to not only get out of our group but get to that final."

After missing out on the last World Cup, Ireland reached a nadir in the 2023 Six Nations when they finished last without a single point.

But the team have made clear strides under former England attack coach Scott Bemand, who replaced Greg McWilliams as head coach in July 2023, clinching a World Cup spot with a third-place finish in this year's Six Nations.

That was followed by a productive autumn in which Bemand's side beat Australia 36-10 in Belfast before a stunning 29-27 success over the Black Ferns in their WXV1 opener in Vancouver.

"We all know the work we've done behind closed doors," added Monaghan, who missed the WXV tournament because of a knee injury she picked up while playing for Gloucester-Hartpury in the Premiership final in June.

"Individually, we've worked really hard and collectively as a group. We've grown the depth in our squad and some the Sevens players have injected pace and power into the group.

"To the outside world, it may seem like it's been overnight but for us it's been competition to competition and the belief has always been there."