Former Ireland centre Grace Davitt says Greg McWilliams is the right choice to lead the country's women's team as they are about to begin this year's Six Nations after a traumatic 2021.

This followed criticism from players past and present about the running of the women's game by the IRFU.

"Greg McWilliams is an amazing coach," Davitt told Sportsound Extra Time.

Speaking to the BBC Radio Ulster programme, Davitt said the IRFU's decision to commission an independent report into the reasons for the team's failure to qualify for next year's World Cup and subsequent acceptance of the recommendations gave her confidence for the future.

"I would have totally (more confidence in the new set-up). The most important thing is the players' voices have been heard.

"We see the recommendations that are being put into play and that's really all about feeling valued."

McWilliams' previous success

McWilliams was assistant coach when Ireland won the Grand Slam in 2013 and reached the World Cup semi-finals a year later after a campaign that included a victory over New Zealand.

His assistant is former Ireland great Niamh Briggs and Davitt says the former fly-half's addition to the coaching team "shows the support the IRFU is putting in place".

However Davitt cautions that with most recent captain Ciara Griffin, Lindsay Peat and Claire Molloy all having retired and experienced campaigners Sene Naoupu, Cliodhna Moloney and Anna Caplice also missing, the relatively young squad must be given time to adjust to the demands of international rugby.

Unlike Saturday's opening opponents Wales, the Ireland squad does not yet have any players on central contracts - but Davitt is optimistic this will happen in due course.

"If you look at the likes of Wales with the 12 contracted players they have, those girls are training four times a week and have been doing that for the last three months.

"There is a bit of a disparity there with Ireland getting together for a couple of weekend camps and obviously you have the contracted [Ireland] players with the Sevens.

"The gap is opening even more but I have no doubt Ireland will put processes in place and one of the recommendations to look forward to is contracted players - but there is a lot more that can be done before putting contracts in place."

Davitt expects big things from Reilly

Of the nine uncapped players in the Ireland squad, Davitt believes Blackrock scrum-half Aoibheann Reilly has the talent to make a big impression if given the opportunity during the tournament.

"You also have the likes of Dorothy Wall and Eve Higgins stepping in from Sevens and I think they will really flourish with their experience and leadership at this level."

In terms of Ireland's ambitions for the campaign, Davitt believes Ireland will be targeting a repeat of last year's third place behind tournament big guns England and France.

"They will want to show why they should be at the World Cup even though they failed to qualify.

"They will want to put down a stamp by beating Wales, Scotland and Italy. They have shown in the past they can do that.

"With Greg there, he knows these teams inside and out and how to get the best out of the girls."