WXV Global Series: New tournament will be ‘mini-World Cup on home soil’ for Ireland

Cantwell won an Irish Women’s record 86 caps in an illustrious international career that culminated in a Grand Slam breakthrough in 2013.

Now, in her role as head of women’s strategy at the IRFU, she believes the team strives to be “financially independent and not dependent on the men’s game”.

“A big role, it might sound black and white, but how do we commercialize the game and how do we go on a journey that we can get revenue and get it back on track and grassroots?

“Right now, the women’s game, it’s full stop in the women’s game, it’s largely dependent on the men’s game to be able to fund it.

“Historically, the revenue from a game would be tickets, broadcasts and sponsorships. We’re really young in that journey and what you’re trying to do is get people to see that vision, understand it and buy into it.

Cantwell also added that the IRFU could learn a lot from what other women’s sports bodies around the world have done, such as the Women’s Super League (WSL) in England.

“It’s a big piece of work and all women’s sports are on that journey and rugby isn’t quite finished yet

“The closest is the RFU (Rugby Football Union) and they’re trying to make a return on investment by 2031/33. Otherwise, the ones we’d look at were basketball in America or the WSL.

“They’re big sisters in that you see how they do it, but there’s a big part of the work.”