This week on Ireland Rugby Social, hosts Gavin Andrews and Lindsay Peat welcome back-row star Brittany Hogan for an in-depth conversation about her journey in the sport and the season ahead.

Hogan first picked up a rugby ball at her hometown club, Ballynahinch, and quickly rose through the age-grade ranks with Ulster. While her early international career was in the sevens format, she made her senior Ireland XVs debut during the pandemic-impacted Women's Six Nations in October 2020. Since then, she has become a mainstay in the Irish pack, starting all three Six Nations matches this year at blind-side flanker and scoring a try in the dominant 57-20 win over Italy in Galway.

After a well-earned rest week, Hogan and her teammates are eager to rebound from a tough loss to France. They face Wales on Saturday in Belfast (18:30 BST), and Hogan is well aware of the challenge ahead.

"Wales are very good," she says. "They've grown into the tournament, built, and changed completely. Their set-piece and forward pack are dominant in the maul, scrum, and breakdowns. This is going to be a good, tough, physical game. We want to make sure we start fast again, like we did against France."

Ireland remain unbeaten at home this season, thanks to that impressive win over Italy, and they carry extra confidence into the match having won two of their last three Six Nations fixtures at the home of Ulster Rugby.

"I love playing up there," Hogan adds. "It's great to be back at Ulster with the home crowd. There's a great buzz, and more of my family can come. It's nice to see everyone, and it's a great stadium. We want to go away with three home wins—we haven't done that in the past few years. It's really important that if people come to us, we make it hard for them."