Wales Women lost their fourth game of this year’s Guinness Six Nations Championship as Ireland powered their way to a 40-14 victory in the Rodney Parade sunshine.
Following this afternoon’s six try haul, the Irish, who are currently fifth seeds in the World rankings, have now only lost three of their last 14 encounters against the Welsh in the Championship.
Hannah Jones and her team had to slightly adapt their tactics at the eleventh hour as Kayleigh Powell had to withdraw from the starting line-up due to a hamstring pull. Experienced Lleucu George stepped into the breach with Hannah Bluck elevated to the bench.
It was George’s well placed grubber kick that led to Carys Cox’s try after only six minutes play as the Welsh wing pounced on Amee-Leigh-Costigan’s indecision. Keira Bevan added the conversion to cement Wales’ promising start.
But Ireland had other ideas after their early awakening. The Irish had beaten New Zealand in last year’s WXV1 and so it wasn’t unexpected that they placed their hosts under considerable pressure.
They made their opening breakthrough following a weaving run by Stacey Flood and great support play from Aoife Wafer. Prop Linda Djougang profited and claimed the visitors first try. Dannah O’Brien duly tied the scores.
The Irish pack dominated the play for the remainder of the opening period and after 30 minutes of physical action – powerhouse No 8 Wafer claimed the visitors second try under the posts – which afforded O’Brien an easy kick to make it 14-7.
However, the wind was somewhat taken from Irish sails with four minutes of the first half remaining as influential outside half O’Brien was yellow carded for a tackle on Alex Callender.
But as the first half clock tuned red – the Irish sensed Welsh blood – and lock Dorothy Wall forced her way over to claim Ireland’s third try of the afternoon. In O’Brien’s absence – centre Enya Breen added the extras to give her side a 21-7 lead at the interval.
Sean Lynn would have undoubtedly told his squad that they had to claim the opening score of the second period – but only 3 minutes after the restart, Wall repeated her trundle towards the Welsh line and claimed the bonus point for her team in the process.
Ten minutes later Djougang emulated Wall’s feat by claiming her second try of the afternoon once again emphasising her side’s physical dominance.
The bumper Welsh crowd of 3,568 did have something to cheer as the clock approached the hour mark. Hannah Bluck was a late call up to the bench and less than a minute after she had stepped into the action – she powerfully ploughed herself over the Irish try line.
Normal service was resumed by the Irish pack 5 minutes later as Guinness Player of the Match, Wafer charged down the blind side of the scrum to claim her second score of the afternoon. Following O’Brien’s fourth conversion, Ireland had reached the 40-point mark.
Six tries for members of the Irish forward pack and a comfortable and deserved victory for Ireland. Sean Lynn and his charges will have one final opportunity to record a 2025 Championship victory when they travel to face Italy in Parma next Saturday.
TEAMS
Wales: Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears), Lisa Neumann (Harlequins), Hannah Jones (captain, Gloucester/Hartpury), Courtney Keight (Bristol Bears), Carys Cox (Ealing Trailfinders), Lleucu George (Gloucester/Hartpury), Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears); Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Kelsey Jones (Gloucester/Hartpury), Jenni Scoble (Gwalia Lightning), Abbie Fleming (Harlequins), Georgia Evans (Saracens), Kate Williams (Gloucester/Hartpury), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester/Hartpury), Alex Callender (Harlequins)
Reps: Carys Phillips (Harlequins), Maisie Davies (Gwalia Lightning), Donna Rose (Saracens), Natalia John (Brython Thunder), Alaw Pyrs (Gwalia Lightning), Sian Jones (Gwalia Lightning), Hannah Bluck (Brython Thunder), Catherine Richards (Gwalia Lightning)Ireland: Stacey Flood; Anna McGann, Aoife Dalton, Enya Breen, Amee-Leigh-Costigan; Dannah O’Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Siobhán McCarthy, Neve Jones, Linda Djougang; Ruth Campbell, Dorothy Wall, Brittany Hogan, Edel McMahon, Aoife Wafer
Reps: Clíodhna Moloney, Sadhbh McGrath, Christy Haney, Fiona Tuite, Claire Boles, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan