Good start half the work for Ireland at Twickenham

England put 'a real emphasis on the first 20 minutes of games' according to defence coach Declan Danaher. 

TAKE OFF: Fiona Tuite and India Daley at Dublin Airport on Thursday. Pic: INPHO/Ben Brady

Ireland women’s defence coach Declan Danaher has said the opening 20 minutes of their Six Nations Championship clash with England at Twickenham Stadium tomorrow (kick-off 2.15pm) could have a major bearing on the overall outlook of the game.

While it took them 31 minutes to get up and running in their tournament opener against Italy in Parma on March 24, England enjoyed whirlwind starts to subsequent encounters with Wales and Scotland. Having registered tries through Maud Muir and Zoe Aldcroft in the opening quarter of the Welsh game in Bristol’s Ashton Gate, the Red Roses repeated this trick on their visit to the latter with Amy Cokayne (prior to picking up a red card) and Abigail Dow dotting down during the early moments of an eventual 46-0 victory over the Scots in Edinburgh.