Eve Higgins has her eyes set on history. The Ireland centre hopes Sunday's Six Nations clash against Scotland at Dublin's Aviva Stadium will be "the first of many" landmark moments for women's rugby in Ireland.

For Higgins, the Six Nations has always been a family tradition. Growing up, she'd head to Ashbourne on a Friday to watch the women's game, then join her father at the Aviva on Saturday for the men's match. But the crowds were worlds apart. While Dublin 4 buzzed with energy, the stands in County Meath told a quieter story.

Fast forward to today, and the "Green Wave" of support has transformed women's rugby in Ireland. This Sunday marks a historic first: a stand-alone women's game at the iconic Lansdowne Road venue. It's a far cry from 2014, when a women's Six Nations match against Italy served merely as a curtain-raiser for the men's game.

The numbers tell the story. With 28,000 tickets already sold for this weekend's final round against Scotland (kick-off 14:30 BST), attendance has tripled the previous record of 9,206 fans who watched Ireland's opening home game against Italy in Galway back in April. It's part of a wider surge in interest, with Ireland's opener against England at Twickenham drawing a record 77,120 spectators earlier this year.

For Higgins, the prospect is "extremely special." The 26-year-old centre recalls the moment the team learned 20,000 tickets had been sold. "That was huge because we knew we were beating our record crowd. To do it again by three times will be incredible," she told BBC Sport NI.

"We spoke about this three or four years ago. We wanted to play at the Aviva, but only when we could fill it. We didn't want empty stadiums. The fact that our first occasion here will be in front of 28,000-plus people shows what performances can do. Now, we just want to put on a show for the crowd."

Ireland have enjoyed a solid championship, with home wins over Italy and France, plus a hard-fought victory in Wales. A win against Scotland would cap off a memorable campaign—and cement the Aviva as a fitting stage for the next chapter of women's rugby in Ireland.