Ireland edge familiar foes
Ireland faced Scotland in Cork over the weekend with the first of two world cup warm up matches
Ireland began their final phase of world cup preparations this over the weekend as Scotland came to Cork. Old foes, Scotland have an interesting history with Ireland, with the sides relatively evenly matched. Though Ireland finished 3rd in this years Six Nations championships, the last weekend was tainted by a loss to the Scottish side in Edinburgh. Scotland are not unfamiliar with upsetting Irish hopes, denying us the last spot in the last world cup in 2021.
The Scottish side saw the return of popular character Emma Wassel who returns after a lengthy period overcoming a significant health scare. In September 2024 the 30 year old second row got the frightening news that a tumour was discovered, mere months after losing her mother during the 2024 Six Nations. After multiple surgeries and a long recovery, Wassel took to the field again against Italy in Parma in the first of the Scottish teams warm up games for Rugby World Cup 2025 which begins later this month.
Ireland saw the return of their own noteworthy players with Eimear Corri-Fallon, Maebh Deely and Beibhinn Parsons returning in green, with the later overcoming multiple leg breaks. Most significantly to this Irish side was the return of Sam Monaghan after a 13 month spell on the sideline with a knee injury. The co-captains return could not be more timely as the build up to the world cup intensifies and Ireland look for options following the loss of Erin King and Dorothy Wall through injury earlier this year.
This, the first of two warm up games for Ireland saw head coach Scott Bemand look to round out some experience with some fresh faces, giving Ivana Kiripati and Nancy McGillivray their first caps as they started down in Cork, with Ailish Quinn set for her debut off the bench.
Ireland started the game looking disorganised, struggling with a familiar affliction of frequent handling errors. Though Ireland defended well in patches, they had very little opportunities in the first third of the game. The Irish pack struggled to resource rucks and the lineout struggled with crooked throws and an overthrow in the early stages.
Scotland looked to play direct rugby, with outhalf Thompson directing play. Her colleagues made life look easy for her as they organised pods well and ran threatening lines, really testing the Irish defence. Scotland broke that defence, capitalising on an Irish error as Kiripati knocked on following an Irish lineout. Scotland were first to react, gathering the ball and finding Ireland slow to respond defensively. Scotland exploited the disorganisation as Ireland screambled with Lisa Thompson carrying over to open the scoring.
Ireland had moments of promise with Scuffil-McCabe alive to a defensive lapse from the visitors, spotting a missing pillar. She was quickly swallowed up and Scotland earned a penalty as the Irish scrumhalf held on on the ground.
Ireland went back at the visitors but some rustiness sees Ireland cough up with further handling errors and again they react slowly in transition. Ireland defence shows a rare piece of daylight and Scotland winger Lucia Scott runs a perfect line as Kiripati gets drawn from her position as pillar. Scott carves open the defence from eight metres out and scores Scotland’s second try.
After just 22 minutes, the home side are behind 0-14. Ireland respond by looking to build onto the game and working through phases. One passage sees O’Brien in at first receiver three phases in a row, tossing the ball to organised pods but the play breaks down as Ireland fails to resource the ruck and Scotland once again turnover the ball.
Shortly after Ireland had a big moment themselves as hooker Cliodhna Moloney-McDonald jackels the ball and gives Ireland an opportunity from a little more than 30m out. O’Brien tucks the ball into the corner but Ireland are deemed to have thrown the ball in crooked at the lineout. Scotland opt to restart with a lineout of their own but curiously they opt to go to the back of a lineout on their own 5m line and overthrow the ball. They recover to carry over and dot the ball down in their own try area.
Ireland restarts with a scrum and after one phase the whistle is blown as Scottish stalwart Lana Skeldon screams in pain as the bottom of a ruck. The play stops for a long period as medical The hooker as the most experienced player for Scotland with 81 caps looks to be in a lot of pain and her world cup is likely over before it's even begun.
Scotland’s edge is lost following Skeldon departing the field and Ireland find their form. Though they fluff their lines soon after as a ball doesn’t go to hand out wide, squandering a clear overlap, Ireland earn a scrum penalty. Ireland manage a strong Scottish scrum to move the ball out to the left, with Sadbh McGrath eventually finding a gap and crashing over to open the scoring late in the second half. O’Brien strikes the post leaving two points behind.
Captain Sam Monaghan goes off as the Irish medics look to manage her return from injury carefully, but shortly after the home side strikes again as the clock ticks towards half time. Back-row Brittany Hogan through O'Brien identified plenty of space on the right wing and Ireland blitz the visitors as Deely goes over for a try on her return. O'Brien nails the conversion from the touchline putting her side within two points of Scotland.
Half time – Ireland 12 Scotland 14
The second half started well for Ireland as Corri-Fallon and Moore carried well from the restart. Early on Parsons looked to be her dangerous self, latching on to the end of a garryowen from O'Brien and gaining yards. Kiripati was unlucky a few phases later to be held up by Scotland captain Rachel Malcolm soon after Lisa Thompson kicked the ball out on the full and gave Ireland another go at the Scots.
Ireland continued to pressure the Scottish defence, with Evie Gallagher the stand-out from the away side. O'Brien soon found an opportunity out wide to put debutant McHillivray through a gaping hole in the visitors defence and put Ireland into the lead for the first time in the game.
Ireland shuffled the front row at 50 minutes as McGrath looked to struggle with Leah Bartlett after half time. Immediately Linda Djougang, alongside Neve Jones and Niamh O’Dowd got the better of the Scottish scrum and earned Ireland a rare scrum penalty.
Scotland were down to 14 soon after as Martin slapped down a pass from Higgins to Costigan. Ireland opted for the scrum again, which was utterly dominant and earned a penalty advantage. Again, they opted for another scrum, as Costigan left the decision to the pack, after the following phase came to nothing.
Ireland earned yet another scrum penalty and an opportunistic Hogan took the quick tap. Corri-Fallon was unlucky as she was stopped just short of the line but Scotland added to their penalty count yet again as they played the 9 at the ruck. The TMO soon intervened to review a dangerous clear-out by Moloney- McDonald on Evie Gallagher which ended a long period of pressure from Ireland, as they came away without reward.
Scotland built back into Irish territory and soon Emma Orr showed how dangerous she can be with any space. She took the ball with 55m to go, turned Parsons who had Eimear Corri-Fallon inside her, but Orr sailed through the gap for Scotland's third try. Rustiness and a lack of match fitness possibly the cause of the disconnect there it seems.
The pack worked hard following the Scotland try and responded with their own through Niamh O'Dowd. Breen and Tuite were productive off the bench, with the latter making some quality carries as Ireland regained the lead, by a point.
O'Dowd displayed a defensive master class in the last quarter of the game, showing a brilliant instinct of when to shoot. Her line speed lifted the tired Irish bodies who matched her enthusiasm and effectively shut out the Scottish attack.
In the closing stages Ireland showed a dominant display, controlling the play and managing the game well. With 6 minutes left on the clock Ireland won a scrum against the head deep inside the Scottish half and Scotland didn’t look likely to turn the deficit around.
Scotland, perhaps tiring, were caught offside several times in the closing stages and Ireland took advantage by pinging the corner. Ireland went to the maul and Dearbhile Nic a Bháird materialised through the middle to make it a final score of 27-21 in Virgin Media Park.
A rusty start, understandable with new caps and returning players, but a solid performance as Ireland grew into the game and the bench making a significant impact. Corri-Fallon a stand-out on her return from injury, with Grace Moore taking player of the match.
Ireland face Canada next weekend in Belfast, in their last game before the World Cup which begins at the end of this month.
Full time - Ireland 27 Scotland 21
Ailbhe O’Nolan
Irish Women's Rugby Supporters Club