Ireland dominates but more in the tank

Ireland travelled to Newport on Sunday to face a Welsh side looking to find their form and identity under new coach Sean Lynn.

In a game that showed Irish dominance in every aspect of the game, with Aoife Wafer carrying 24 times for 175 metres, Irish Head Coach Scott Bemand shared his disappointment in the post-match interviews to not have put 50 points on the board.

Given where Ireland were just two years ago, it’s a somewhat odd feeling to be disappointed with an emphatic win away to Wales. In 2023, Ireland were humbled by Wales with a score of 31 points to 5 as the home side racked up their biggest home win in 20 years. The development of this Irish squad under Bemand has seen Ireland go from rock bottom just two years ago to being an ambitious side on track to secure third place in the championship for the second year running.

Wales women, like their men’s side, are in a period of turmoil and transition, with the WRU under severe strain. In 2024 the women’s team dealt with controversies around contracts, where the union threatened to withdraw Wales from this years Rugby World Cup if they didn’t accept the contracts being offered to them, with further accusations that they refused to pay for travel and subsistence. Add to that, new coach Sean Lynn spending just over 48 hours in the role before the competition began.

With Ireland on a very dramatic upswing in form and Wales trying to pull themselves off the bottom, Ireland were firm favourites going into this game.

The visitors were ambitious from early on, confident in moving the ball and looking for space and kicking frequently during the early exchanges, but Wales proved dangerous on the counterattack. Wales would be the first to score as Lleucu George threaded a perfectly weighted grubber kick down the left wing. Amee-Leigh Costigan got to the ball first but didn’t secure it as it bounced in behind her. As she gathered, she spilled in contact, allowing Carys Cox to dive on the ball and score. The experienced Keira Bevan added the conversion and Ireland found themselves behind after seven minutes.

Ireland would continue to play an open game, searching for space and at times finding it, but Ireland were inaccurate as they got in behind the Welsh defence, with some of their decision making letting them down.

In what felt like a poor game of sevens at times, Ireland’s game plan appeared to be to move the ball and stretch the home sides defence, but Ireland suffered at the breakdown with Wales looking to disrupt rucks and succeeding at times.

The kicking exchanges were numerous, with both sides looking to go long for territory but both failing to reach touch with penalties. It made for a very open first 20 minutes, but Ireland looked to their pack more as the game went on, and Ireland profited as Linda Djougang and Aoife Wafer scored before the 30-minute mark.

Irish out half Dannah O’Brien found herself taking a break just before half time as she stood up in a tackle, catching Wales number 8 Alex Callendar on the chin on 36 minutes. The subsequent bunker review would judge the yellow card sufficient. With Ireland down to 14 players, they really showed their ambition, despite the numerical mismatch, as they scored again with the clock in the red. This time Dorothy Wall crashed over, stretching the lead at the break to 7-21.

Ireland would start the second half much more clinically than the first, with Enya Breen, standing in at 10 for the duration of the yellow card period. Ireland scored early despite O’Brien remaining off, with Wall scoring her second try of the game on 44 minutes as the Irish maul powered over.

Ireland would continue to dominate, as Welsh discipline conceded a total of 18 penalties throughout the game. Linda Djougang and Aoife Wafer, not to be outdone by Exeter Chiefs second row Dorothy Wall, would both score again in the second half. The Irish pack was utterly dominant, but Wales would claw one back through Hannah Buck on 59 minutes, less than a minute after the substitute entered the fray. Shortly after Ireland would make six changes, as they continued to outmatch their Welsh counterparts at the breakdown.

A game that was at times frantic in the early exchanges, Ireland will be justified in feeling there was more on offer. Wales did not perform on the day and offered Ireland the game on a plate, but Ireland’s own inaccuracies will certainly be examined when they gather again to plan for the final weekend.

Aoife Wafer, unsurprisingly, was the stand-out but many would be forgiven for thinking she only got into third gear despite some mouth-watering statistics. Dorothy Wall and Aoife Dalton, particularly in defence, were both superb, but Ireland’s backs failed to click as they did against Italy in Parma in round two.

A big victory, but certainly this Irish side has considerably more in them. They travel to the Hive stadium in Edinburgh for Super Saturday on April 26^th to take on Scotland.

Ailbhe O’Nolan

Irish Women’s Rugby Supporters Club