Irish Six Nations-winning captain Niamh Briggs says she “100%” believes Ireland players will make the first women’s British and Irish Lions team in 2027.
There have been concerns raised that the team to tour New Zealand would be dominated by English players.
Ireland finished bottom of the 2023 Six Nations after five defeats.
“Each nation has hugely successful players”, said Briggs, who added she would be interested in the job of head coach if she was offered the role.
Since the Women’s Six Nations was introduced in 2002, England have won 14 of the 22 editions of the tournament – including the last five in a row.
France were the last team to stop the dominance of the Red Roses in 2016, while Ireland’s two triumphs came in 2013 and 2015 – the latter of which came with Briggs as captain.
In comparison Ireland, Scotland and Wales have all shared the wooden spoon over the past three years, leading to concerns that any Lions team would be dominated by English players.
“I understand that England have a huge amount of brilliant players and unbelievable investment,” Briggs added.
“But I sit back and watch a Women’s Premiership game and I see players from Wales, Scotland and Ireland performing in it week in, week out. They don’t look out of place.
“While I understand that England are a hugely successful group, each nation has hugely successful players.
“Coming up over the next few years, we have the Celtic Challenge with 18, 19 an 20-year-olds – we don’t know what will happen in three years time with where the game is going.”
‘Of course’ – Briggs interested in Lions role
Briggs, who is Ireland’s under-20 and pathway performance coach, added that there is a “lot of positivity around Irish women’s rugby” as Ireland dominated the inaugural WVX3 under new head coach Scott Bemand to bounce back from a disappointing Six Nations performance.
“It’s been unbelievably positive over the past 12 or 18 months. We have four full-time pathway coaches now, which is amazing, and we’ll have an Irish [Under] 18s and 20s team this year, which is really important to bridge that gap.
“We are getting younger and younger players into these pathways who understand professional behaviours and know what is needed to bridge that gap into the international squad.
“There is a lot of positivity around Irish women’s rugby at the moment and we have to keep driving forward now. We just can’t stay still.”
When asked if she would throw her hat into the ring for a head coach job, Briggs, said she would be interested.
“Of course, who is going to say no to that?,” she added.
“I’ve been asked a lot about the coaching and whether it needs to be male or female – it needs to be the best people.
“If we are looking for those players to be the best of the best, then they will have that expectation on that coaching group, so that is really important.
“Whether it is this tour or one down the line, of course it would be in the back of your mind that it would be something good to do.
“I think I’d take as much satisfaction coaching a young girl right now to make the plane to New Zealand.”