England rout the Irish with eight-try show
WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS
IRELAND WOMEN 0
ENGLAND WOMEN 48
Daire Walsh
Musgrave Park, Cork
England registered an impressive haul of eight tries in a convincing triumph against Ireland to keep themselves on track for a fifth successive Women’s Six Nations title.
A victory over France at Twickenham for the reigning grand slam champions next Saturday will secure another clean sweep and offer departing head coach, Simon Middleton, a perfect send-off after a memorable eight years at the helm.
From an Irish perspective, this was their fourth straight defeat of the campaign to date and further highlighted the gulf in class that exists between them and their cross-channel rivals. You have to go back to 2004 for the last time they picked up the wooden spoon in this tournament and Greg McWilliams’ charges will need to get the better of Scotland in Edinburgh next weekend to avoid this fate in 2023.
A rampant England opened the scoring with less than two minutes on the clock. After a neat build-up from the wings Abby Dow and Claudia MacDonald, the lock Sarah Beckett (one of five Gloucester-Hartpury players in the English pack) dotted down. England then pounced for a second try through Tatyana Heard.
Ireland were struggling to contain their own lineouts and this made it difficult for them to establish any sort of momentum. England were ruthless and efficient and added a third try just past the first-quarter mark as the full-back, Ellie Kildunne, was left with a simple finish.
An utterly dominant England wrapped up a bonus point by the 27th minute when Marlie Packer was released by the scrum half Natasha Hunt for another clinical five-pointer, and while the Roses captain was withdrawn through injury after 35 minutes, her replacement, Morwenna Talling, made an immediate impact with a try off a lineout maul.
The outside centre, Lagi Tuima, finally found the target from her fifth attempt at the kicking tee to give England an insurmountable 27-0 interval cushion.
Ireland improved in the third quarter. However, the failure to convert attacking pressure into scores has been a common theme for the Irish in this year’s tournament and it was their Achilles’ heel once again.
Two of the Ireland replacements introduced during this game – Jo Brown and Clara Nielson – were previously capped by England, but were allowed to switch allegiances after World Rugby changed its eligibility rules at the beginning of 2022. They played their part in a commendable second half effort from Ireland, but their former side ultimately finished the action with a flourish.
Despite Kildunne having a try ruled out on 69 minutes, Amber Reed finished off a fast-paced move before the dynamic No 8, Alex Matthews, grabbed two tries in the closing moments to put the seal on another emphatic English victory.
Scorers: England: Tries S Beckett (2 mins), T Heard (16), E Kildunne (21), M Packer (27), M Talling (36), A Reed (72), A Matthews (78, 83), Cons L Tuima, H Rowland 3
Ireland L Delany; A Doyle, A Dalton (A McGann 55), V Irwin (A McGann 35-40), N Behan (M Deely 67); D O’Brien, M Scuffil-McCabe (A Hughes 65); L Djougang (K Buggy 29), N Jones (C Nielson 65), C Haney (S McGrath 78); N Fryday, S Monaghan; B Hogan (H O’Connor 67), G Moore (J Brown 57), D Nic a Bhaird.
England E Kildunne; A Dow, L Tuima (H Rowland 53), T Heard (A Reed 53), C MacDonald; H Aitchison, N Hunt (L Packer 65); H Botterman (M Carson 29), C Powell (L Davies 61), M Muir (S Bern 61); Z Aldcroft (D Burns 53), S Beckett; S Kabeya, M Packer (M Talling 35), A Matthews.
Referee L Jenner (New Zealand).