This is Ireland’s first quarter-final since 2014, the biggest game of their lives for these players.There’s this fine line. You want to be tapping into that emotion and it being such a huge achievement for this team, but then also not letting it override your every thought and building it up into something that you’re almost afraid to be doing when the day comes around. When I was in camp, I used to need to get out for a coffee, or even just watch a terrible TV show in the hotel, because when you’re in the midst of a tournament, rugby can become every waking moment of your day.And the closer kick-off gets, the bigger the occasion can seem.There’ll be a lot of Irish fans over again and there’s a great atmosphere at a sold-out Sandy Park. It is quite an exposed stadium though, and one that the wind really whips through.I think the weather, if it is as forecast, could play a big part and it might come down to who best manages the conditions. Shutting down the likes of Pauline Bourdon Sansus will be huge but I do believe Ireland can do it.A semi-final place would be absolutely huge and really highlight how far Ireland have come from the Wooden Spoon in the Six Nations in only 2023.A lot of people have had to stand up and say that what was happening wasn’t good enough and it would make all of that hardship worthwhile because we’re now seeing the rewards of people stepping up and fighting for the better of the game.Nichola Fryday was speaking to BBC Sport NI’s Jonathan Bradley
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Women’s Rugby World Cup: Returning in quarter-final against France a huge ask for Ireland’s Aoife Wafer
