Womens Six Nations: England over-power Ireland in tournament opener
HUMAN TRAFFIC: Nancy McGillivray of Ireland is tackled by Ellie Kildunne of England at Twickenham. Pic: Shauna Clinton/Sportsfile
Ireland had no answer to England’s firepower as the world champions returned to Twickenham to open their Guinness Women’s Six Nations title defence on Saturday.
Yet Scott Bemand’s side will be ruing a string of costly mistakes that denied them the chance to make a greater impact on this opening-round contest. Not that the majority of the 77,120 Women’s Six Nations record crowd minded as their idols ran in five tries to Ireland’s two on a glorious afternoon in south-west London.
England have won the previous seven championships and are now on a 34-match unbeaten run thanks to a victory which endorses their status as favourites for an eighth title in a row.
Wing Jess Breach and full-back Ellie Kildunne added to first-half tries from front rowers Amy Cokayne and double try-scorer Sarah Bern as England collected an opening bonus point but there was a positive finish from the Irish, replacements Amy McGann and debutant Eilis Cahill scoring in the final quarter, with Dannah O’Brien adding a conversion.
It will give Ireland some momentum into next weekend’s round-two visit to Galway’s Dexcom Stadium when Italy provide the opposition ahead of further home games against Wales in Belfast in round four and a closing date with a first standalone game for Ireland’s Women at Aviva Stadium against Scotland.
Yet this game had quickly got away from the Irish. There had been an ominous sign of what was to come when England’s kick-off was knocked on in the opening play after a miscommunication in the Ireland backfield. The home side piled on the pressure from there, Ireland allowing them access through further knock-ons and penalty concessions to set up the first of three unanwered first-half tries with the lineout maul the source of all of them.
Hooker Amy Cokayne touched down the first on eight minutes before tighthead prop Srah Bern added two more as England’s power from close range proved too much for the Irish defence.
The visitors were not without their own chances, but a malfunctioning lineout was the chief cause of their frustrations inside the English half while at the other end a fourth home try on the stroke of half-time was denied by a TMO intervention after fan favourite Elle Kildunne, the full-back, was seen to lose control of the ball before she could ground.
Nevertheless, Ireland still had a mountain to climb in the second half, trailing 21-0 at the interval, inside centre Helena Rowland having kicked all three England conversions.
The third quarter was a messy affair, though Ireland were forced to dig deep into their defensive reserves at times, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald marking her 50th Test cap with a crucial turnover in front of the posts to win a pressure-relieving penalty. Yet England boss John Mitchell’s answer to breaking the deadlock was to thrown his World Cup-winning half-backs, scrum-half Natasha Hunt and fly-half Zoe Harrison.
Even so, it was a blocked Irish kick on the half-way line that broke the second-half deadlock in the 52nd minute, Stacey Floods attempt to advance her team into the opposition half read by England captain Meg Jones, the centre side-footing her pass into Ireland’s 22, where wing Jess Breach won the foot race to add the bonus-point try.
At least Ireland finish with pride restored, replacement wing Anna McGann scoring in the corner after a strong lineout drive from her pack during a brief but heavy downpour on 61 minutes and then replacement prop Eilis Cahill making her Test debut a memorable one, not only by winning a scrum penalty at her first engagement but scoring from close range after a concerted assault from a five-metre tap penalty, There was also an Ireland debut for former Sevens scrum-half Katie Whelan and Bemand’s squad will leave Twickenham with positives for the campaign ahead, their most difficult encounter firmly in the rear-view mirror and home games against Italy, Wales and Scotland to come. It was England’s day but the future has a bright look for both teams.
: E Kildunne; J Breach, M Jones – captain, H Rowland, Claudia Moloney-MacDonald; H Aitchison (Z Harrison, 51), L Packer (N Hunt, 51 - E Sing, 65); K Clifford (M Carson, 51), A Cokayne (C Powell, 69), S Bern (M Muir, 51), M Talling (H Lutui, 43), L Ives Campion; M Feaunati (A Burton, 10-20 HIA & 69), S Kabeya, A Matthews.
: S Flood; B Parsons (A McGann, 60), A Dalton, E Higgins (G McGillivray, 50), V Elmes Kinlan; D O’Brien, E Lane (K Whelan, 69); E Perry (N O’Dowd, 50), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (N Jones, 60), L Djougang (E Cahill, 69); D Wall (R Campbell, 50), F Tuite; B Hogan, E King – captain, A Wafer (G Moore, 62).
: Clara Munarini (Italy)
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