“WE DON’T WANT to be noble losers. We don’t want to put up a good fist of it.”
That Ireland head coach Scott Bemand had the luxury of summing up his side’s defeat to France in the Six Nations, illustrates just how far Ireland have progressed as a team. The points they left behind in that tournament opener was the key discussion point of that 27-15 defeat to France.
The handling errors haunted them too, 31 of them to be precise.
On Sunday, they could scarcely stop scoring points. A whopping 54 of them against an Italy team who won this corresponding fixture in the last two Six Nations championships. It’s a considerable turnaround after losing 24-7 in 2023 and 27-21 last year. As for the handling mistakes, Ireland committed less than 10 of those in Parma.
The wheel has been turning for Ireland in the last two years. Winning the WXV3 in October 2023 offered the first hint of a productive change in the camp. A third-place finish in the 2024 Six Nations was another step forward, their highest in three years to qualify for the World Cup coming up this year. Defeating the reigning champions New Zealand in last year’s WXV1 was a signal to the world that Ireland are Tier 1 material again.
Looking more closely at the players in this Ireland team, there are standout players in every line. Aoife Wafer is certainly Ireland’s most talked about player and her impact upon returning from injury justifies that. Our front row trio of Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang have made 83 tackles between them so far in the Six Nations.
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Jones had two eye-catching turnovers which demonstrates the power she brings at ruck time. This one in the 13th minute was a great execution of the skill and she was unfortunate to have the ball stripped away moments later.
Neve Jones turning over the ball on Italy. https: / /gifrun.com/youtube/?v=F2JHBG-1b4Y
https: / /gifrun.com/youtube/?v=F2JHBG-1b4Y / /gifrun.com/youtube/?v=F2JHBG-1b4Y
Ireland’s lineout stats make for favourable reading too. They’ve won 35 of their own throws, and conceded possession just twice against France and Italy. Tries from Linda Djougang and replacement backrower Dorothy Wall came directly from Ireland’s lineout, showcasing their ability to score from well organised set-pieces. Wall, who was considered a nailed-on starter after making her international breakthrough, wasn’t in the first 15 this week. She issued a public note to the management team with that score on 64 minutes.
There’s plenty to admire about Ireland’s backs too. Dannah O’Brien is arguably one of the strongest kickers Ireland has produced in the modern game. She underperformed against France, missing all three of her conversion attempts. She put on a fresh coat of paint against Italy, nailing seven of her eight kicks. Interestingly, she nailed the difficult ones and the one she missed was closer to the posts. In any case, she’s reliable from the tee.
Wingers Anna McGann and Amee-Leigh Costigan are bullets. McGann scored a hat-trick against Italy, while Costigan was among the first-half try-scorers who helped Ireland secure that bonus point before the break. Their speed was crucial in each of those scores, but Costigan’s was particularly impressive as she tapped on the accelerator to get around two Italians with a devastating sidestep.
Try-scorer, and Player of the Match Aoife Dalton, clocked up some significant numbers in Parma. Nine carries, 51 metres made and 15 tackles sums up the value she brings in the centre alongside the equally influential Eve Higgins. Along with earning 10 carries against France, she also had two lethal assists for two of Ireland’s tries in the first half against Italy. Her swift break through the Italy line put Costigan and McGann through for the final touch.
And consider the talents who we haven’t seen in Ireland’s campaign. Sam Monaghan — Ireland’s co-captain along with Edel McMahon — is unavailable through injury. Béibhinn Parsons, the winger with the jet engine speed, is only just in the early stages of returning from a second leg break.
There was a time, not that long ago, when Ireland couldn’t survive without players of that stature. All hands were needed at the pump, and even then, they were still overwhelmed by teams. This reporter has covered such matches, and struggled to convey the result with all the appropriate context. The absence of a professional set-up for the women’s team could never be ignored, as well as conflicts between the players and the IRFU with regards to the treatment of the women’s game.
But it was always the players on the pitch who picked up the tab. One thinks of players like Nichola Fryday, who captained Ireland during that fallow period when Ireland failed to pick up any points in the 2023 Six Nations. She retired at just 28, right before the start of Ireland’s redemptive arc. Nobody gets to choose the window for their international career, and it’s especially difficult when your time coincides with an unsuccessful stretch for the team. But Fryday’s fingerprints are on the rise of this Irish outfit.
This is a rest week for Ireland but the biggest test of the championship awaits in Cork on 12 April when England call in. Ireland, don’t forget, are still in a building phase. Similar to France, proving they can be a competitive challenger for the seven-in-a-row chasers will be the aim of the day.
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Italy win underlines how Ireland are now stronger in every line
“WE DON’T WANT to be noble losers. We don’t want to put up a good fist of it.”
That Ireland head coach Scott Bemand had the luxury of summing up his side’s defeat to France in the Six Nations, illustrates just how far Ireland have progressed as a team. The points they left behind in that tournament opener was the key discussion point of that 27-15 defeat to France.
The handling errors haunted them too, 31 of them to be precise.
On Sunday, they could scarcely stop scoring points. A whopping 54 of them against an Italy team who won this corresponding fixture in the last two Six Nations championships. It’s a considerable turnaround after losing 24-7 in 2023 and 27-21 last year. As for the handling mistakes, Ireland committed less than 10 of those in Parma.
The wheel has been turning for Ireland in the last two years. Winning the WXV3 in October 2023 offered the first hint of a productive change in the camp. A third-place finish in the 2024 Six Nations was another step forward, their highest in three years to qualify for the World Cup coming up this year. Defeating the reigning champions New Zealand in last year’s WXV1 was a signal to the world that Ireland are Tier 1 material again.
Looking more closely at the players in this Ireland team, there are standout players in every line. Aoife Wafer is certainly Ireland’s most talked about player and her impact upon returning from injury justifies that. Our front row trio of Niamh O’Dowd, Neve Jones and Linda Djougang have made 83 tackles between them so far in the Six Nations.
Jones had two eye-catching turnovers which demonstrates the power she brings at ruck time. This one in the 13th minute was a great execution of the skill and she was unfortunate to have the ball stripped away moments later.
Ireland’s lineout stats make for favourable reading too. They’ve won 35 of their own throws, and conceded possession just twice against France and Italy. Tries from Linda Djougang and replacement backrower Dorothy Wall came directly from Ireland’s lineout, showcasing their ability to score from well organised set-pieces. Wall, who was considered a nailed-on starter after making her international breakthrough, wasn’t in the first 15 this week. She issued a public note to the management team with that score on 64 minutes.
There’s plenty to admire about Ireland’s backs too. Dannah O’Brien is arguably one of the strongest kickers Ireland has produced in the modern game. She underperformed against France, missing all three of her conversion attempts. She put on a fresh coat of paint against Italy, nailing seven of her eight kicks. Interestingly, she nailed the difficult ones and the one she missed was closer to the posts. In any case, she’s reliable from the tee.
Wingers Anna McGann and Amee-Leigh Costigan are bullets. McGann scored a hat-trick against Italy, while Costigan was among the first-half try-scorers who helped Ireland secure that bonus point before the break. Their speed was crucial in each of those scores, but Costigan’s was particularly impressive as she tapped on the accelerator to get around two Italians with a devastating sidestep.
Try-scorer, and Player of the Match Aoife Dalton, clocked up some significant numbers in Parma. Nine carries, 51 metres made and 15 tackles sums up the value she brings in the centre alongside the equally influential Eve Higgins. Along with earning 10 carries against France, she also had two lethal assists for two of Ireland’s tries in the first half against Italy. Her swift break through the Italy line put Costigan and McGann through for the final touch.
And consider the talents who we haven’t seen in Ireland’s campaign. Sam Monaghan — Ireland’s co-captain along with Edel McMahon — is unavailable through injury. Béibhinn Parsons, the winger with the jet engine speed, is only just in the early stages of returning from a second leg break.
There was a time, not that long ago, when Ireland couldn’t survive without players of that stature. All hands were needed at the pump, and even then, they were still overwhelmed by teams. This reporter has covered such matches, and struggled to convey the result with all the appropriate context. The absence of a professional set-up for the women’s team could never be ignored, as well as conflicts between the players and the IRFU with regards to the treatment of the women’s game.
But it was always the players on the pitch who picked up the tab. One thinks of players like Nichola Fryday, who captained Ireland during that fallow period when Ireland failed to pick up any points in the 2023 Six Nations. She retired at just 28, right before the start of Ireland’s redemptive arc. Nobody gets to choose the window for their international career, and it’s especially difficult when your time coincides with an unsuccessful stretch for the team. But Fryday’s fingerprints are on the rise of this Irish outfit.
This is a rest week for Ireland but the biggest test of the championship awaits in Cork on 12 April when England call in. Ireland, don’t forget, are still in a building phase. Similar to France, proving they can be a competitive challenger for the seven-in-a-row chasers will be the aim of the day.
Another curve in the arc.
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