Ireland U-18 Women Deliver Back-To-Back Wins On Day Two
Ireland out-half Lani O'Donovan is pictured making a break during their Under-18 Women's Six Nations Festival match against England ©Danté Kim
Wicklow’s Usha Daly O’Toole starred with three tries as the Ireland Under-18s (sponsored by PwC) overcame England and Scotland in two 35-minute matches at the U-18 Women’s Six Nations Festival in Berkshire.
Craig Hansberry’s young side showed their battling qualities to come from behind to beat tournament hosts England 12-5, and do the same against their Scottish counterparts, striking late on both occasions with impressive composure.
It was an excellent response to their day one defeat to a formidable France team, and sets up a mouth-watering finish to the festival when they face Italy in a full 70-minute encounter at Wellington College on Friday (kick-off 2.15pm – live on irishrugby+/Six Nations U-20 YouTube channel).
UNDER-18 WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS FESTIVAL – ROUND 2:
Monday, April 6 –
IRELAND UNDER-18s 12 ENGLAND UNDER-18s 5, Wellington College
Scorers: Ireland U-18s: Tries: Usha Daly O’Toole, Julie Finn; Con: Lani O’Donovan
England U-18s: Try: Mali Hill
IRELAND U-18: Róisín O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby); Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC/Munster Rugby), Caitlin Crowe (Virginia RFC/Ulster Rugby), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Aoife Heaney (Tuam RFC/Claremorris RFC/Connacht Rugby); Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby); Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC/Connacht Rugby), Uilinn Eilian (Tuam RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Murphy (Tullow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Usha Daly O’Toole (Wicklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Mia Rowan (Longford RFC/Leinster Rugby), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lucia Dickinson (IQ Rugby) (capt), Róisín Power (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby).
Replacements: Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster Rugby), Coumba Sow (Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), Ella Buckley (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), Ruby Osumah (Tullamore RFC/Leinster Rugby), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), Kitty Sweeney (Westport RFC/Connacht Rugby), Sophia White (Arklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Clodagh McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Cairínn Kearns (Gort RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC/Munster Rugby), Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC/Ulster Rugby), Katie Griffin (Loughrea RFC/Connacht Rugby).
ENGLAND U-18: Jemima Mitchell (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands); Alice Fleming (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Meghan Crilly (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough) (co-capt), Charlotte Brookes (Rachael Burford PDG), Lily Pereira dos Santos (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands); Beth Hall (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Summer Smith (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/City of Oxford); Isabella Lyndon (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Mali Hill (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Lotte Peirsegaele (Emma Mitchell PDG/City of Oxford), Holly Bagnowiec (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Charlie Williams (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Hannah Foley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/City of Oxford), Rowan Turney (Rachael Burford PDG/Exeter College), Honey Kerslake (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter) (co-capt).
Replacements: Maisie Trotman (Emma Mitchell PDG/Worthing), Lucie Sams (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Eva Larkai (Rachael Burford PDG/Worthing), Leila Crick (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands), Amelia Rockley (Maggie Alphonsi PDG), Evie Collingbourne (Rachael Burford PDG/Worthing), Christal Koroiyadi (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough), Alix Ahad (Maggie Alphonsi PDG/Oaklands), Rosalyn Civil (Jo Yapp PDG/Hartpury), Rose Powell Williams (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter), Martha Hallam (Karen Almond PDG/Loughborough), Millie Walker (Becky Essex PDG/Loughborough), Izzy Firth (Nolli Waterman PDG/Exeter).
SCOTLAND UNDER-18s 7 IRELAND UNDER-18s 12, Wellington College
Scorers: Scotland U-18s: Try: Ellen Nimmo; Con: Niamh Waters
Ireland U-18s: Tries: Usha Daly O’Toole 2; Con: Sophia White
SCOTLAND U-18: Bethan Mathieson; Robyn Allan, Kat Bird, Niamh Waters, Megan Laurie; Sophie Gilvear, Aoife Powrie-Smith; Ellen Nimmo (capt), Gemma Gordon, Megan Hutchinson, Rebecca Whitehead, Pip Sutherland, Rhianna Bodle, Eleanor Keenan, Danielle Kaschula.
Replacements: Emily Sansom, Amy Vance, Jess Combe, Lilly Clarkson, Layla Mitchell, Neve Murray, Eilidh Rose, Eve Mackay, Estella Vaughan, Connie Sanderson, Emma Wylie, Lucy Ronald, Lucy Symon.
IRELAND U-18: Lani O’Donovan (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby); Amy McConkey (Cooke RFC/Ulster Rugby), Clodagh McCarthy (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Lily Byrne (Dolphin RFC/Munster Rugby) (capt); Aoife Heaney (Tuam RFC/Claremorris RFC/Connacht Rugby); Sophia White (Arklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Kitty Sweeney (Westport RFC/Connacht Rugby); Coumba Sow (Clontarf FC/Leinster Rugby), Emma Jane Wilson (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster Rugby), Cairínn Kearns (Gort RFC/Connacht Rugby), Ruby Osumah (Tullamore RFC/Leinster Rugby), Usha Daly O’Toole (Wicklow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Katie Griffin (Loughrea RFC/Connacht Rugby), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby), Róisín Power (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby).
Replacements: Evie Kennedy (Ballina RFC/Connacht Rugby), Uilinn Eilian (Tuam RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lily Murphy (Tullow RFC/Leinster Rugby), Anna McDermott (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Lucia Dickinson (IQ Rugby), Julie Finn (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Jo McCaughey (Clonakilty RFC/Munster Rugby), Caitlin Crowe (Virginia RFC/Ulster Rugby), Abi Kelly (Ennis RFC/Munster Rugby), Róisín O’Sullivan (Ballinasloe RFC/Connacht Rugby), Ella Buckley (Ballincollig RFC/Munster Rugby).