The records keep falling, with 9,206 people packing into the Dexcom Stadium on a gloriously sunny Galway evening to witness local favourite Béibhinn Parsons and her team-mates rip Italy to shreds.
There was a giddiness in the air before kick-off, plenty of it down to Connacht’s stirring win over the Stormers in South Africa, as well as a resounding 55-8 win for the Ireland U21s against their Italian counterparts in the warm-up for the main event.
But this ever-growing Irish women’s rugby crowd know how to make their own atmosphere, and Scott Bemand’s side gave them plenty of cause for celebration with a convincing, clinical hammering of Italy.
The disappointment of last weekend’s 33-12 loss away to England looked a little better when the English eviscerated Scotland on an 84-7 scoreline earlier today, but today was about Irish skipper Erin King and co. showing what they can do.
And how they thrilled.
Ireland captain Erin King. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ballinasloe native Parsons scored a cracking hat-trick but there were big performances all over the pitch from Irish players. Stacey Flood showed her classy passing range from fullback, while 20-year-old debutant wing Robyn O’Connor took her first Ireland try superbly.
The irrepresible Aoife Wafer was in rampant form at number eight, scoring a try and running through Italian defenders, as well as delivering some nice touches. Her back row combination with King and Brittany Hogan worked smoothly.
The same was true in midfield as Nancy McGillivray worked tidily in tandem with the spiky, clever Aoife Dalton.
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In the front row, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, and Linda Djougang won turnovers, carried hard, and set a strong scrum platform. Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite, meanwhile, mixed it from the second row engine room.
Scrum-half Emily Lane got Ireland up and running early on with a rapid quick-tap try, while out-half Dannah O’Brien’s kicking was as influential as ever and she also got the ball through her hands swiftly on several occasions.
Bemand had the luxury of withdrawing many of his frontliners with 25 minutes still to go, though he was sending on a punchy-looking bench that included many proven players.
Ireland will travel to Clermont for next weekend’s third-round clash with France, 38-7 winners away to Wales today, with more than a hint of belief about them.
Robyn O'Connor celebrates her debut try. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
The first half was dominant from Ireland as they scored seven tries to lead 45-10 at the break, with Wafer following Lane over for Ireland’s second score from a smart lineout play from close range.
Parsons’ first try came wide ont the right via quick hands by O’Brien and a slick bridge pass by Flood under pressure, while O’Connor showed pace and power to take her try in the other corner after a nice long pass by Dalton.
The second Parsons score came after a potent Wafer carry from a scrum, with Lane then giving the Irish wing a one-on-one chance to show her finishing prowess. Loosehead prop Perry got in on the act as she punched over from close range after Moloney-MacDonald and Wafer did the initial damage with ball in hand.
Italy did bag two first-half tries, a maul effort and a brilliant solo try by fullback Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, but it was essentially one-way traffic from the Irish.
The clear pick of the bunch was Ireland’s seventh on the stroke of half time, with O’Brien and Flood initially releasing O’Connor down the left near halfway. O’Connor offloaded inside to Parsons, who found Flood, who found Wafter.
The totemic Irish back row then had the strength to keep her hands free as two Italians hung off her, the offload sending Parsons clear.
Emily Lane scores for Ireland. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Ireland could have been forgiven for a lull early in the second half but instead, they scored almost instantly as they kicked a penalty into the Italian 22 before hooker Moloney-MacDonald powered over.
Replacement out-half Veronica Madia hit back for Italy, and she helped to steady the ship somewhat for the visitors. A lull ensued, with plentiful changes to both sides.
But normal service was resumed in the closing stages as Hogan got over on the back of some muscular Irish mauling just after a nice rendition of the Fields of Athenry rang out around the Galway ground.
The Italians did get something to show for their trip to Ireland, though, with Alyssa D’Incà grabbing their bonus-point try in the last couple of minutes.
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Parsons bags three as Ireland batter Italy on glorious Galway day
Ireland 57
Italy 20
THIS WAS A happy, heady day for Ireland Women.
The records keep falling, with 9,206 people packing into the Dexcom Stadium on a gloriously sunny Galway evening to witness local favourite Béibhinn Parsons and her team-mates rip Italy to shreds.
There was a giddiness in the air before kick-off, plenty of it down to Connacht’s stirring win over the Stormers in South Africa, as well as a resounding 55-8 win for the Ireland U21s against their Italian counterparts in the warm-up for the main event.
But this ever-growing Irish women’s rugby crowd know how to make their own atmosphere, and Scott Bemand’s side gave them plenty of cause for celebration with a convincing, clinical hammering of Italy.
The disappointment of last weekend’s 33-12 loss away to England looked a little better when the English eviscerated Scotland on an 84-7 scoreline earlier today, but today was about Irish skipper Erin King and co. showing what they can do.
And how they thrilled.
Ballinasloe native Parsons scored a cracking hat-trick but there were big performances all over the pitch from Irish players. Stacey Flood showed her classy passing range from fullback, while 20-year-old debutant wing Robyn O’Connor took her first Ireland try superbly.
The irrepresible Aoife Wafer was in rampant form at number eight, scoring a try and running through Italian defenders, as well as delivering some nice touches. Her back row combination with King and Brittany Hogan worked smoothly.
The same was true in midfield as Nancy McGillivray worked tidily in tandem with the spiky, clever Aoife Dalton.
In the front row, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Ellena Perry, and Linda Djougang won turnovers, carried hard, and set a strong scrum platform. Ruth Campbell and Fiona Tuite, meanwhile, mixed it from the second row engine room.
Scrum-half Emily Lane got Ireland up and running early on with a rapid quick-tap try, while out-half Dannah O’Brien’s kicking was as influential as ever and she also got the ball through her hands swiftly on several occasions.
Bemand had the luxury of withdrawing many of his frontliners with 25 minutes still to go, though he was sending on a punchy-looking bench that included many proven players.
Ireland will travel to Clermont for next weekend’s third-round clash with France, 38-7 winners away to Wales today, with more than a hint of belief about them.
The first half was dominant from Ireland as they scored seven tries to lead 45-10 at the break, with Wafer following Lane over for Ireland’s second score from a smart lineout play from close range.
Parsons’ first try came wide ont the right via quick hands by O’Brien and a slick bridge pass by Flood under pressure, while O’Connor showed pace and power to take her try in the other corner after a nice long pass by Dalton.
The second Parsons score came after a potent Wafer carry from a scrum, with Lane then giving the Irish wing a one-on-one chance to show her finishing prowess. Loosehead prop Perry got in on the act as she punched over from close range after Moloney-MacDonald and Wafer did the initial damage with ball in hand.
Italy did bag two first-half tries, a maul effort and a brilliant solo try by fullback Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, but it was essentially one-way traffic from the Irish.
The clear pick of the bunch was Ireland’s seventh on the stroke of half time, with O’Brien and Flood initially releasing O’Connor down the left near halfway. O’Connor offloaded inside to Parsons, who found Flood, who found Wafter.
The totemic Irish back row then had the strength to keep her hands free as two Italians hung off her, the offload sending Parsons clear.
Ireland could have been forgiven for a lull early in the second half but instead, they scored almost instantly as they kicked a penalty into the Italian 22 before hooker Moloney-MacDonald powered over.
Replacement out-half Veronica Madia hit back for Italy, and she helped to steady the ship somewhat for the visitors. A lull ensued, with plentiful changes to both sides.
But normal service was resumed in the closing stages as Hogan got over on the back of some muscular Irish mauling just after a nice rendition of the Fields of Athenry rang out around the Galway ground.
The Italians did get something to show for their trip to Ireland, though, with Alyssa D’Incà grabbing their bonus-point try in the last couple of minutes.
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Emily Lane, Béibhinn Parsons [3], Aoife Wafer, Robyn O’Connor, Ellena Perry, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Brittany Hogan
Conversions: Dannah O’Brien [6 from 9]
Italy scorers:
Tries: Vittoria Vecchini, Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi, Veronica Madia, Alyssa D’Incà
Conversions: Gaia Buso [0 from 3], Michela Sillari [0 from 1]
IRELAND: Stacey Flood; Béibhinn Parsons, Aoife Dalton (Eve Higgins ’53), Nancy McGillivray, Robyn O’Connor (Anna McGann ’56); Dannah O’Brien, Emily Lane (Katie Whelan ’68); Ellena Perry (Niamh O’Dowd ’53), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Neve Jones ’53), Linda Djougang (Sadhbh McGrath ’53); Ruth Campbell (Sam Monaghan ’53), Fiona Tuite; Brittany Hogan, Erin King (captain), Aoife Wafer (Dorothy Wall ’53).
ITALY: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi; Gaia Buso (Michela Sillari ’56), Alyssa D’Incà, Sara Mannini, Aura Muzzo; Emma Stevanin (Veronica Madia ’44), Sofia Stefan (Alia Bitonci ’56); Gaia Maris (Silvia Turani ‘HT), Vittoria Vecchini (Chiara Cheli ’56), Alessia Pilani (Vittoria Zanette ‘HT); Valeria Fedrighi, Elettra Costantini (Giordana Duca ‘HT); Francesca Sgorbini, Alissa Ranuccini (Beatrice Veronese ’60), Elisa Giordano.
Referee: Ella Goldsmith [Rugby Australia].
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Six Nations Dominant Galway Ireland Italy