Ireland’s Women’s team let a 13-5 half-time lead slip against England as the reigning RBS Women’s 6 Nations pulled clear in the second half at Templeville Road, outscoring Ireland by five tries to one in the end.
2009 RBS WOMEN’S 6 NATIONS CHAMPIONSHIP: Friday, February 27
IRELAND WOMEN 13 ENGLAND WOMEN 29, Templeville Road
Scorers: Ireland: Try: Amy Davis; Con: Niamh Briggs; Pens: Niamh Briggs 2
England: Tries: Emily Scarratt, Francesca Matthews 2, Catherine Spencer, Fiona Pocock; Conversions: Katy McLean 2
Ireland Women suffered their first defeat in this year’s RBS Women’s 6 Nations on Friday when England came from behind to beat the hosts by a 16-point margin.
The English bounced back from their recent defeat to Wales, which was their first loss since 2006, thanks to second half tries from Francesca Matthews (2), Catherine Spencer and Fiona Pocock.
Ireland, again led by tireless number 8 Joy Neville, had high hopes of posting their first ever win over England, particularly after recent victories at home to France and away to Italy.
Steven Hennessy’s side, roared on by a partisan crowd, made an impressive start with full-back Niamh Briggs notching a sixth-minute penalty.
Briggs donned the number 15 jersey for this much-anticipated game, with Joanne O’Sullivan moving forward from the rear to take on the out-half duties.
The only change in personnel from the 35-17 win over Italian was Grace Davitt’s inclusion on the right wing.
Ireland were composed on the ball, with experienced scrum half Tania Rosser operating behind a confident pack, and their early endeavour was rewarded when winger Amy Davis broke through for a well-worked try.
The girls in green gobbled up turnover ball and the ever alert Neville found space on the blindside before passing for the lively Davis to race over. Briggs’ conversion was on target for a 10-0 home lead.
England had their hooker Amy Garnett sin-binned soon after and leaked a second penalty to Briggs, but the champions kept themselves in the hunt with an unconverted try from centre Emily Scarratt, which was sparked off a solid scrum.
13-5 ahead at half-time, Ireland were deservedly in front with the likes of Briggs, O’Sullivan, Lynne Cantwell, Yvonne Nolan and Orla Brennan coming up with some big plays.
However, with Brennan in the sin-bin, the gap was down to a single point nine minutes into the second half when good pressure from the English pack released the backs and winger Matthews crossed the whitewash, with Katy McLean tagging on the conversion.
Matthews doubled her try tally when Ireland coughed up possession at a scrum and Amy Turner set the dangerous English back-line in motion.
That left Ireland 17-13 adrift and some good kicking from Briggs and O’Sullivan got the hosts on the march once again. But England’s dominance was all too evident in open play and Matthews put number 8 and captain Spencer over for their fourth try.
A gutsy Ireland could not conjure up a score in reply and it was left to English centre Pocock to close out the scoring, ten minutes from time.
The Irish set-up should not be too downbeat as the final scoreline did have a flattering look to it. Had they got the run of the ball early in the second half, there might well have been a different result.
Still, Joy Neville and her team-mates are still very much in the Championship picture and on course to secure the nation’s best ever Six Nations finish.
The win lifts England to the top of the table, level on four points with Ireland but with a points scoring difference that dwarfs Ireland’s.
Nonetheless, a win for France over former leaders Wales on Saturday would mean that there would be four teams all with four points, heading into the final two rounds of the 2009 tournament.
Next up for Ireland in a trip to Edinburgh to face Scotland on Friday, March 13, and they will conclude the Championship on Saturday, March 21 with a crunch clash with Wales in Cardiff.
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs (Clonmel/Munster); Grace Davitt (Blackrock/Leinster), Lynne Cantwell (UL Bohemians/Munster), Helen Brosnan (Highfield/Munster), Amy Davis (Blackrock/Ulster); Joanne O’Sullivan (Richmond/Ulster), Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster); Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster), Yvonne Nolan (Blackrock/Leinster), Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster), Caroline Mahon (UL Bohemians/Leinster), Orla Brennan (Blackrock/Leinster), Louise Austin (Blackrock/Leinster), Sinead Ryan (Navan/Leinster), Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt).
Replacements used: Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster) for Davis, Jeannett Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster) for Brosnan (both 61 mins), Debbie Clarke (Blackrock/Leinster) for Austin (65), Jess Limbert (Lichfield/Ulster) for Nolan, Emer McManamly (Blackrock/Leinster) for Mahon, Kate O’Loughlin (Clonmel/Munster) for Brennan (all 75). Not used: Louise Beamish (UL Bohemians/Munster).
ENGLAND WOMEN: Victoria Massarella (Saracens); Francesca Matthews (Richmond), Emily Scarratt (Lichfield), Kimberley Oliver (Bristol), Fiona Pocock (Richmond); Katy McLean (Darlington Mowden Park Sharks), Georgina Rozario (Plymouth Albion); Rochelle Clark (Blaydon Team Northumbria), Amy Garnett (Saracens), Sophie Hemming (Bristol), Rebecca Essex (Richmond), Joanna McGilchrist (Wasps), Karen Jones (Richmond), Gemma Sharples (Worcester), Catherine Spencer (Bristol) (capt).
Replacements used: Lois Moulding (Lichfield) for Clark, Claire Purdy (Wasps) for Hemming, Vicki Jackson (Lichfield) for Masserella (all 65 mins), Natalie Binstead for Essex, Amy Turner (Richmond) for Garnett (both 75). Not used: Ollie Poore (Lichfield), Alice Richardson (Richmond).
Referee: Wayne Davies (Wales)
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