It’s Round 4 of the Women’s Six Nations and this is a major challenge for Scott Bemand’s Ireland.
They picked up their first win last weekend against Wales in Cork, a just reward for their gutsy performances so far in the competition. But today, they face the five-in-a-row champions which is an entirely different proposition.
We’ll have team line-ups for you in the next few minutes as we get ready for kick-off in Twickenham at 2.15pm.
Ireland
- 15. Lauren Delany
- 14. Katie Corrigan
- 13. Eve Higgins
- 12. Aoife Dalton
- 11. Béibhinn Parsons
- 10. Dannah O’Brien
- 9. Aoibheann Reilly
- 1. Linda Djougang
- 2. Neve Jones
- 3. Christy Haney
- 4. Dorothy Wall
- 5. Hannah O’Connor
- 6. Aoife Wafer
- 7. Edel McMahon (captain)
- 8. Brittany Hogan
Replacements:
- 16. Clíodhna Moloney
- 17. Niamh O’Dowd
- 18. Sadhbh McGrath
- 19. Fiona Tuite
- 20. Shannon Ikahihifo
- 21. Molly Scuffil-McCabe
- 22. Enya Breen
- 23. Méabh Deely
England:
- 15. Ellie Kildunne
- 14. Abby Dow
- 13. Megan Jones
- 12. Tatayana Heard
- 11. Jess Breach
- 10. Holly Aitchison
- 9. Natasha Hunt
- 1. Hannah Botterman
- 2. Lark Atkin-Davies
- 3. Maud Muir
- 19. Morwenna Talling
- 5. Zoe Aldcroft
- 6. Sadia Kabeya
- 7. Marlie Packer,
- 8. Alex Matthews
Replacements:
- 16. Connie Powell
- 17. Mackenzie Carson
- 18. Kelsey Clifford
- 19. Morwenna Talling
- 20. Maddie Feaunati
- 21. Lucy Packer
- 22. Emily Scarratt
- 23. Sydney Gregson
While you wait for kick-off, have a look at Aoife Wafer’s journey with rugby.
‘I was bit of a pest… I wanted to be out with the boys and I wanted to play’
The teams are coming out now. Almost ready to go!
Kick-off! England 0-0 Ireland
2 mins: England 0-0 Ireland
Edel McMahon shows good vision to get down on a loose English pass and retrieve possession for Ireland. The ball comes to England full-back Ellie Kildunne who kicks the ball out for an Ireland line-out.
Ireland keep possession and start working through phases. However, a knock-on sees England get the ball back for a scrum.
5 mins: England 0-0 Ireland
England boss the scrum and eventually get a penalty which Holly Aitchison kicks into Irish territory. England starting to really push Ireland back with some incisive play, getting down to the five-metre range.
Ireland survive the wave of pressure though, win the ball back and Dannah O’Brien boots the ball clear.
TRY! England 5-0 Ireland (Abby Dow ’6)
7 mins: England 5-0 Ireland
England were threatening, and they’re in for the opening try through Abby Dow. Alex Matthews deserves a lot of credit for her break to create the opportunity.
Beibhínn Parsons tried to push them back with a strong tackle but England just had too many numbers forward.
TRY! England 12-0 Ireland (Natasha Hunt ’9)
12 mins: England 12-0 Ireland
England starting to really assert their power now. Hunt drives through for their second try and Holly Aitchison converts at the second time of asking.
TRY! England 19-0 Ireland (Megan Jones ’13)
14 mins: England 19-0 Ireland
And that’s try number three for England as Megan Jones reaches over, and Aitchison taps over from in front of the posts. England’s ball retention and passing efficiency is just so precise and Ireland don’t have an answer for it.
Full-back Lauren Delany then drops the ball which sums up the difference in standard so far.
18 mins: England 19-0 Ireland
Now it’s Ireland’s turn to string a few phases together but they give away possession. Ellie Kildunne then goes rampaging through Irish territory, and they could be in for another.
TRY! England 26-0 Ireland ( Zoe Aldcroft ’19)
20 mins: England 26-0 Ireland
And they do get through. And that’s the bonus point wrapped up already as Zoe Aldcroft rips through with a 40-metre break to punch down for England’s fourth try, leaving Ireland’s defence in ribbons.
Aitchison adds the extras from in front of the posts.
22 mins: England 26-0 Ireland
This is better from Ireland as they pull together some good carries and make some inroads in England’s half. It looks like O’Brien is going to kick for the posts after winning a penalty.
23 mins: England 26-3 Ireland
And that’s Ireland’s first points on the board of the day. It’s something on the board to offer some relief after the struggles of the first quarter.
25 mins: England 26-0 Ireland
Kildunne goes on the sprint again, and she makes tremendous ground before Parsons gets back to haul her down.
The England full-back created the space with a dummy on Aoibheann Reilly, a sidestep on Neve Jones and a quick step away from O’Brien.
Their pace, ferocity and speed is getting the better of Ireland here as prop Linda Djougang is down requiring treatement.
TRY! England 33-3 Ireland (Kildunne ’28)
30 mins: England 33-3 Ireland
Kildunne, who has been excellent so far, trots over for England’s fifth of the first half. It came from a rolling maul that heaved Ireland back, and the ball was eventually recycled out to the full-back for the final flourish.
32 mins: England 33-3 Ireland
Penalty for Ireland after Parsons reads well to catch an England cross-field kick and England go in off their feet.
An Ireland lineout follows, and England get the ball back after Jones’s throw goes over the top.
34 mins: England 33-3 Ireland
Massive defensive effort from Ireland to hold out Hannah Botterman on the line.
35 mins: England 33-3 Ireland
England thought they were in for a try, but there’s clearly no grounding and it should be a scrum to Ireland.
Meanwhile, England made a substitute as hooker Lark Atkin-Davies goes off with an injury. Connie Powell is in.
TRY! England 38-3 Ireland (Dow ’37)
38 mins: England 38-3 Ireland
It was Dow who had their try ruled out, but she doesn’t have to wait long for her second of the day. Again, England move the ball out wide. Again, Ireland’s defence is stretched too thinly, and they concede in the corner as Dow blasts past Parsons.
No need for a TMO this time.
41 mins: England 38-3 Ireland
Ireland don’t opt to kick the ball out and kill the first half. England go back to the corner and they’re hungry for another score.
Half-Time: England 38-3 Ireland
Megan Jones did burst through there but the try is ruled out for a forward pass. Ireland are lucky to get that reprieve before the break.
England 38-3 Ireland
England’s six-try performance is the difference as the teams prepare for the second half. Dannah O’Brien’s penalty is all that has Ireland on the scoreboard but it could get ugly if the continue to boss this game.
Second Half: England 38-3 Ireland
Ireland get the restart underway.
TRY! England 43-3 Ireland (Breach ’43)
44 mins: England 43-3 Ireland
That was all too easy for England. They throw the ball out wide without much fuss to find Jess Breach on the wing. She takes on Katie Corrigan and slices through to get England’s seventh try. Aitchison has been inconsistent from the tee, and she misses another conversion.
48 mins: England 43-3 Ireland
This could be try number eight for England. Marlie Packer does brilliantly to power through, and push Ireland back to the line. The TMO will decide whether Sadia Kabeya has squeezed in after a lovely turn.
TRY! England 50-3 Ireland (Kabeya ’48)
50 mins: England 50-3 Ireland
And the replays show she did get the grounding. It all came from another well executed England lineout. Aitchison clips over her fifth conversion.
But Ireland are up in England territory now, looking for their first try of the day.
52 mins: England 50-3 Ireland
Ireland still have the ball, winning a scrum for an English knock-on. They’ve been pushed from their position though so they still have some work to do. Aoife Wafter picks up the ball and takes off.
53 mins: England 50-3 Ireland
The ball goes back to England arms again. They lost possession on the ground, and knocked the ball on after catching the ball from an England kick.
Ireland win it back though, and get their lineout working from a Dannah O’Brien kick. They’re on the heave now.
Penalty Try! England 50-10 Ireland
57 mins: England 50-10 Ireland
Well, Ireland needed that. A penalty try for Ireland after replacement Lucy Packer tackled Linda Djougang’s legs as Ireland were going over, which has resulted in a yellow card.
That’s a lift for Ireland, but England are back in Ireland’s danger zone again.
TRY! England 57-10 Ireland (Jones ‘ 57)
60 mins: England 57-10 Ireland
It’s just relentless stuff from England as Megan Jones leaps over for her second try. England and Ireland are both running the bench now as Ireland scupper yet another lineout.
TRY! England 64-10 Ireland (Dow ’63)
65 mins: England 64-10 Ireland
Ireland pay dearly for that lineout throw going over the pack as Megan Jones runs with power to draw Ireland in, feeds the ball to Kildunne who in turn passes to Dow. She puts the hand out to hold off a tackle from Parsons and sails along the wing to get her hat-trick.
That’s England’s 10th try and Aitchison kicks her seventh conversion.
TRY! England 71-10 Ireland (Kildunne ’68)
69 mins: England 71-10 Ireland
England’s 11th try comes from a set-piece. They fire the ball out from a scrum and work the width to get the ball out to Kildunne. She takes on Katie Corrigan for pace and roars past her. Parsons gets across but can do nothing to stop her from barrelling over for her second try.
Ireland’s Penalty Try
After a lengthy TMO review, Ireland get a penalty try.
— Virgin Media Sport (@VMSportIE) April 20, 2024
A massive effort from the pack there and Lucy Packer goes in the bin as a result.
50-10#GuinnessW6N pic.twitter.com/breYkO812s
TRY! England 78-10 Ireland (Aitchison)
TRY! England 83-10 Ireland (Kildunne ’74)
75 mins: England 83-10 Ireland
The agony continues as Ellie Kildunne completes her hat-trick after a gorgeous grubber kick from Emily Scarratt.
TRY! England 88-10 Ireland (Feaunati ’77)
78 mins: England 88-10 Ireland
Substitute Maddie Feaunati gets England’s 14th try and Ireland are just willing for the final whistle now.
Full-Time! England 88-10 Ireland
England 88-10 Ireland
That’s Ireland’s worst-ever result against England, and it certainly was a bleak day for them. 14 tries for the five-in-a-row champions who are further down the road with their professional set-up.
A Dannah O’Brien penalty, and a penalty try was all they could squeeze out of the champions and after those previous games where the promising signs were there, this is a wake-up call for Scott Bemand’s side.
Well that’s all from us, folks. Not a great day for Ireland but Scotland are up next in Kingspan Stadium so there’s still time to get back on track again.
Until the next time, good luck!
