Ireland 14 Wales 6
Welcome back Niamh Briggs. On return from injury, Ireland's player of 2013 made a huge contribution to see off Wales and keep matters firmly on track to clinch the Triple Crown in Twickenham next Saturday week.
That said, England will be licking their lips. Even considering the terrible conditions there was a worryingly high number of handling errors.
One huge positive was the ability of the on-field decision makers – Fiona Coghlan, Niamh Briggs and Lynne Cantwell – to reclaim a game that was slipping from their grasp.
But it took a full hour. A pat on the back must go to coach Philip Doyle, who before the tournament spoke about the difficulties of replacing retired number eight Joy Neville. “Heather O’Brien gives us a different dimension in that she is so quick off the scrum, that’s where we will look to expand our attack this season.”
Skip to the 61st minute, with the game tied at 6-all, and there was O’Brien racing off the scrum for the game’s only try.
Briggs’ conversion went the wrong side of the upright but no other fault can be levelled at her door. The fullback’s injury time penalty, after some clever Irish mauling, was the final nail in Wales’ coffin.
It’s in this team’s DNA to play above the surface rugby. This simply wasn’t the night for it. Three genuine scoring chances went a begging in the first half alone because players looked to give a killer offload to put a team-mate racing away. As happened on 11 occasions against Scotland.
The obvious difference was the rain and wind , which held off last week, but last night the heavens opened up an half hour before kick-off. And kept on slanting down towards the clubhouse end.
The theory behind Ireland’s play was spot on as Nora Stapleton, seeing Wales had done their homework on Jenny Murphy, only used her inside centre as a decoy as space was sought out wide.
Cue the stream of knock-ons.
In stark contrast, Wales were playing percentage rugby, with centre Robyn Wilkins landing the two penalties that came her way in the 17th and 25th minute for a 6-0 cushion approaching the interval.
All Wales outhalf Elinor Snowsill had to do was loft her kicks over Alison Miler’s head and watch as they trickled into touch deep in Irish territory. Stacey Lea Kennedy wasn’t having much joy out of touch either, the wind catching a few of the hooker’s throws.
There was even the rare sight of a clean line break but Rebecca de Filippo’s charge was hauled to ground by Siobhan Fleming with fellow flanker Claire Molloy immediately over the ball.
Midfield traffic
Wales, so obviously stung by defeat at home to Italy, have also been working on stripping the ball in contact with Wilkins robbing Briggs when she threatened to escape midfield traffic.
But the return of the Limerick based Garda was timely. Not only did she reduce the deficit to 3-6 two minutes before the break, hoofing her penalty into a howling wind, she took over all kicking duties in horrid conditions.
The Welsh were here to spoil, harassing Larissa Muldoon and denying Ireland any clean ball from the base of rucks. They ended up with two yellow cards for their troubles.
As soon as the second half started Briggs started repaying the favour by prodding the ball down the right touchline. New game plan for new conditions then. It was up to the maul under Larissa Muldoon’s direction to guide Ireland home.
Still, the error count was astonishing for a team of such experience.
When it finally looked like Briggs’ straightening of the attack would yield a try even the usually reliable Miller fumbled. But Ireland had no intention of leaving the Welsh 22. From the next passage of play Murphy tried to bludgeon her way to the try line and at least earned a penalty that saw Briggs level matters up.
Wales also had to resist the green wave for 10 minutes without hooker Lowri Harries who was sin-binned for killing the ball under her own posts. Then O’Brien struck with Briggs adding the insurance score late on.
Molloy hurt her neck at the end of the game and was taken to hospital as a precaution.
IRELAND: N Briggs; H Casey, L Cantwell, J Murphy, A Miller; N Stapleton, A Davis; F Coghlan (capt), SL Kennedy, A Egan; S Spence, M-L Reilly; S Fleming, C Molloy, H O'Brien. Replacements: G Bourke for SL Kennedy (half-time), A Baxter for H Casey (69 mins).
WALES: D Hywel; E Evans, R Wilkins, R de Filippo, P Tuttiett; E Snowsill, A Day; M York, L Harries, C Edwards; J Hawkins, S Powell Hughes; C Nicholas, N Davies, R Taylor. Replacements: J Davies for M York, S Harries for C Nicholas (both 50 mins), S Williams for R Taylor, L Harries for P Tutttiett (both 70 mins), S Moore for A Day, C Philips for L Harries (both 76 mins).
Referee: N Inwood (NZRU).
