Sam Monaghan, Ireland's powerhouse second row, has thrown her weight behind a game-changing proposal that could reshape women's rugby in Ireland. The 32-year-old, currently plying her trade with reigning PWR champions Gloucester-Hartpury, believes adding an Irish club to the Premiership Women's Rugby competition would be nothing short of "amazing" for the national team's development.

The PWR, currently a nine-team English league, opened its doors to potential new members in April through an expression of interest process. The Irish Rugby Football Union confirmed their interest on Friday, sparking excitement across the women's rugby community. For Monaghan, who's one of 11 Irish Six Nations squad members playing in the PWR, this move could bridge a crucial gap in player development.

While Ireland's provinces—Munster, Connacht, Leinster, and Ulster—compete in the Interpro league, and the Clovers and Wolfhounds represent Ireland in the Celtic Challenge alongside Scottish and Welsh sides, Monaghan sees the PWR as the ultimate proving ground. "It's something we've always spoken about," she told BBC Sport NI. "Wouldn't it be amazing if there was an Irish team where we could all play together? The Premiership was amazing for me at my career stage, but I've built a life over there—a house, a job. I'd love to come home, but it's not feasible. An Irish PWR team would let us do both, and playing together more often would massively benefit us."

The forward, who joined Gloucester-Hartpury in 2022 and helped them claim the title, emphasized the competitive edge the PWR offers. "It's so competitive," she added. "Seeing this actually come to fruition would be incredible."

Monaghan also weighed in on a controversial change coming to this autumn's WXV Global Series: the introduction of size 4.5 balls—about 3% smaller but the same weight as regulation size fives. England fly-half Zoe Harrison called it "the worst decision someone has ever made," and Monaghan agrees. "If it was done, maybe it should have been done years ago," she said, hinting that the timing and execution leave much to be desired. For Monaghan, the focus remains on what's best for the game—and an Irish PWR team might just be the perfect fit.