Potts was speaking on Wednesday as the IRFU announced the appointment of eight new Women's National Talent Squad Pathway staff, including Munster head coach and Ireland assistant Niamh Briggs, to be based at five Provincial Centres of Excellence while disclosing that discussions were ongoing for additional hubs in Sligo and Cork.

Yet the focus of attention stayed with Ireland’s disappointing last-place Six Nations finish last month, which led to McWilliams’ departure last week after less than 17 months in the post.

Asked why the head coach had left his job, Potts replied: “As soon as the tournament was over we met with Greg and we both agreed that it was time to bring in a new voice for the team. We thank Greg for everything he has done, but collectively it was felt it was time for a new voice and we just made that collective.

“So, we thank him for everything he has done, but it’s the right decision at this point we believe.” 

IRFU head of women’s performance and pathways Gillian McDarby took issue with the implication McWilliams had been sacked and added: “First of all, it was a mutual decision with Greg. He wasn’t fired. I just want to put that out there. It was a mutual decision with both of us.” 

Ireland women’s forwards coach John McKee has assumed temporary charge of a squad whose Six Nations finish means they have dropped to tier three for World Rugby’s new WXV competition, which gets underway later this year on a two-year cycle.

“Just in terms of his replacement,” McDarby continued, “John McKee is currently head coach at the moment, and we’ve actually started the process so it will take us a couple of months to get the right person in place.” 

Potts had begun his opening remarks at the IRFU High Performance Centre by paying tribute to the inexperienced Ireland squad led by Nichola Fryday that had suffered from the absence of a number of senior players on Sevens duty in their bid to qualify for the 2024 Olympics.

“I’d like to start by acknowledging the tremendous efforts of Nichola Fryday and the Ireland team in the Women’s Six Nations campaign. The players put everything they had into representing their country and Irish Rugby could not have asked more of them. While this was not their time, we are confident that their time will come.” 

Potts was also asked if Exeter hooker Moloney was effectively being silenced or being made an example as a result of speaking out against the IRFU and its High Performance management.

“No, it’s not. I’m not going to comment, and I don’t get involved, in selection. That’s a matter for high performance and the coaches, but it’s certainly not a case that Cliodhna Moloney is being silenced by the IRFU for speaking out. That’s not the case, certainly.” 

Moloney’s non-selection, Potts added, was “a question for the High Performance and the coaching staff. I don’t get involved in selection issues.” 

The CEO urged people to look forward rather than back to past failings within the IRFU towards the women’s national team, that had won a Grand Slam in 2013 and reached a World Cup semi-final the following year but had sunk to a wooden spoon nine years later having failed to qualify for last summer’s World Cup in New Zealand.

“We are really disappointed with how things have progressed for the last number of years, but what I’m focussed on for the last 16 months is addressing any shortfalls in the system, and I’d like to think we are starting to do this in a meaningful way with everything we are doing.

“I’d like to look forward and hopefully any failings in the past have now been very firmly addressed and we can look forward to a more positive outcome in the years ahead.” 

The IRFU’s eight full-time WNTS Pathways staff will operate out of five new Women's Centre of Excellence hubs at Dublin City University and SETU Carlow (Leinster), University of Galway (Connacht), University of Limerick (Munster) and Queen's University (Ulster).

The IRFU said it was also in discussions with ATU Sligo and University College Cork with a view to setting up two further hubs in those locations.

The newly announced WNTS staff in both Connacht and Munster would rotate between their province’s twin centres.

IRFU WNTS Pathways staff:

Connacht: Larissa Muldoon (Talent Coach) and Ann Caffrey (Athletic Performance Coach) Leinster: Matt Gill (Talent Coach) and Greg Hollins (Athletic Performance Coach) Munster: Niamh Briggs (Talent Coach) and Lorna Barry (Athletic Performance Coach) Ulster: Neil Alcorn (Talent Coach) and Paul Heasley (Athletic Performance Coach) end