As a young girl, Eve Higgins cherished her Six Nations routine - heading to Ashbourne for the women's match on Friday evenings, then joining her father at Aviva Stadium for the men's showdown the following day.

While massive crowds poured into Dublin 4 for the men's fixture, turnout at the County Meath ground the night before lagged far behind.

Yet as women's rugby in Ireland surged in popularity, so did the surging 'Green Wave' of fans - and this Sunday marks a landmark moment, with Lansdowne Road hosting its first standalone women's international.

In 2014, a women's Six Nations encounter with Italy acted as a prelude to the men's game, but now with 28,000 tickets shifted for the championship's closing round against Scotland [14:30 BST], it has shattered the previous high of 9,206 who watched Ireland's home opener versus Italy at Galway's Dexcom Stadium in April.

This surge aligns with skyrocketing demand for women's rugby - Ireland's season kickoff against England pulled a staggering 77,120 to Twickenham.

Higgins calls the chance to perform before a record domestic audience "incredibly meaningful" and wishes for it to be "just the start of many more".

"Hearing that 20,000 tickets had gone already was massive - we knew we'd topped our previous best," the 26-year-old midfielder shared with BBC Sport NI.

"Not only surpassing the Six Nations record, but tripling it will feel truly remarkable.

"Three or four years back, we discussed bringing games to the Aviva, but only when we could pack it out - no one wanted half-empty stands.

"Launching here with over 28,000 fans is fantastic - it proves what strong play achieves. We're determined to deliver a spectacle this weekend."

The tournament has unfolded predictably for Ireland, securing home triumphs over Italy and Wales, while delivering solid efforts on the road against top-ranked England and fourth-placed France, though the desired upsets slipped away.

Reflecting on those losses stirs some "frustration" in Higgins, yet the squad brims with "drive to evolve and test new boundaries".

Securing a flawless home ledger - three victories from three - caps their goals, and despite Scotland's recent trio of losses after an early win at Wales, Higgins refuses to underestimate them.

"Over recent seasons, our battles with Scotland have been razor-tight," she observed.

"Both sides brim with pride, turning contests fiercely physical - we expect no easy ride. In the past two Six Nations, it's been one apiece, so anticipate a fierce battle.

"Our aim is to unleash our top form and secure that trio of home successes."