Marauding English maul destroys depleted Ireland in Six Nations wipeout

Losing most of their best backs to Sevens didn’t help Ireland but it was upfront where they struggled most.

24 April 2022; Lydia Thompson of England scores a try during the TikTok Women's Six Nations Rugby Championship match between England and Ireland at Mattioli Woods Welford Road Stadium in Leicester, England. Photo by Darren Staples/Sportsfile

Women’s Six Nations: England 69 Ireland 0 

EVEN if there wasn't a clutch of first choice players missing, Ireland looked destined to struggle against the world’s best team and so it transpired in the fourth round of the TikTok Six Nations at Welford Road.

Losing most of their best backs to Sevens didn’t help but it was upfront that they struggled most, conceded their first try, to Lark Davies off England’s marauding rolling maul, within the opening two minutes.

Sarah Bern got the home side’s second try after 17 minutes, again off a rolling maul but Emily Scarratt, earning her 100th cap, again failed to convert it, leaving the score at 10-0.

For Ireland to hold actually hold the Red Roses to those two scores by half-time was actually some achievement and a great reflection of their defence and line-speed.

Neve Jones and captain Nichola Fryday were outstanding at the ruck and Aoife McDermott, Sene Naoupu and full-back debutant Molly Scuffil-McCabe all had to intervene heroically on the try-line at times.

When they did make a rare first-half foray into the English 22 and won a relatively easy penalty under the posts out-half Nicole Cronin missed it but it transpired her back had seized up badly and she was soon replaced by Michelle Claffey.

But England could count themselves very lucky that scrum-half Leanne Infantane wasn’t, at minimum, sin-binned before the break.

She threw what looked like a punch on Claffey yet New Zealand referee Ambar McLachlan, after a TMO review, declared that her action was a “push to the face” and didn’t even give her a yellow.

Given their professional status, England’s reserves of fitness, skill and bench depth saw them take flight after the re-start.

Within 90 seconds prop Marlie Packer had touched it down like a winger and Scarratt’s first conversion took them 17-0 clear.

Ireland’s challenge got even more mountainous when they reduced to 14 in the 43rd minute when Dorothy Wall got sin-binned for an accidental high tackle.

Within another minute Ireland trailed 24-0 after Lark Davies got England’s fourth and her second try (another pushover from a line-out maul) which Scarratt also converted.

As expected the floodgates then opened with tries from Lydia Thompson and Poppy Cleall putting England 36-0 clear before the hour had passed.

There were occasional flashes from Ireland, like a lovely grubber kick from Enya Breen that put Aoife Doyle through on a break, but physically they just couldn’t contain England’s massive power at the set-piece.

Tries from replacements like Botterman and Cleall took them to 50-0 by the hour mark and Ireland then lost Eimear Considine to a leg injury.

To add to Ireland’s woes, Sene Naoupu was red-carded in the 66th minute for a dangerous tackle and replacement Ellie Kildunne got two tries (67th and 73rd minute) in her absence.

By time Lydia Thompson had bagged England’s 11th they had actually run out of subs so were reduced to 14 when Poppy Cleall got injured.

Their dominance and depth was underlined when, with Emily Scarratt already departed, their last try was brilliantly converted by scrum-half Zoe Harrison to seal their 69-0 victory.

Scores England - Lark Davies (tries, 2 & 45), Sarah Bern (try, 17), M Packer (try, 42), L Thompson (try, 50 & 76), P Cleall (tries 54 & 63), Botterman (try, 61), E Kildunne (tries, 68 & 73), E Scarratt (six conversions), Z Harrison (conversion).

IRELAND: M Scuffil-McCabe, A Doyle, S Naoupu, E Breen, E Considine; N Cronin, K Dane; L Djougang, N Jones, C Haney, A McDermott, D Wall, E McMahon, H O’Connor. 

Replacements: M Claffey for Cronin (29), G Moore for McDermott (50), N Byrne for Considine (63), M Og O’Leary for Wall (65), E Hooban for Jones, C Pearse for Djougang, A Reilly for Dane (all 73).

ENGLAND: H Rowland, L Thompson, E Scarratt, H Aitchison, J Breach; Z Harrison, L Infante; V Cornborough, L Davies, S Bern, Z Aldcroft, A Ward, A Matthews, M Packer, S Hunter. 

Replacements: E Kildunne for Breach (44), A Cokayne for Davies (47), M Muir for Cornborough (47), P Cleall for Hunter (47), H Botterman for Bern (47), R Galligan for Ward (56), N Hunt for Infante (60), H Aitchison for Scarratt (67).