Ireland returned to winning ways in the WXV Global Series, bouncing back from last week’s loss to USA Women’s Eagles in Dublin with a 31-24 win Japan Galway.
With the wind a significant factor throughout, Ireland played with the breeze in the first half and opened up a 19-5 advantage at half time.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Japan stormed back into the contest after the break, scoring three tries in the second half when playing with the elements.
However, Aoife Dalton and new Ireland record holder Béibhinn Parsons crossed paths at key moments, capitalizing on mistakes by Sakura Fifteen to ensure the hosts had enough to sustain a comeback.
Here are the afternoon’s talking points…
Ireland continues to fight
A week after their unfortunate loss to the USA, Ireland could claim a confidence-boosting win over another side they were heavily favored against.
While the win was secured, avoiding any losing streak, it’s hard to say that this performance will satisfy head coach Scott Bemand and his staff.
Although they lost last week, Ireland’s best moments – especially in attack – were more impressive than their best moments this time in Galway. The tempo and tempo of their first half seven days ago was lacking today. Errors and fluctuations were a prominent feature.
Japan sped up the Irish attack, forcing Ireland to cough up 16 turnovers. Ireland also lost the penalty shootout 16-10, while the hosts were less effective in 22 than their visitors (2.8 points per entry vs. 3.4). On more than one occasion, Ireland found themselves held over the line by an impressive Japanese rear guard.
There are, of course, some caveats. Bemand made a number of changes to their XV, with hard-hitting Eilis Cahill earning her first start, while Anna McGann wore the 13 shirt instead of 11, 14 or 23. Beth Buttimer also earned a long-awaited debut from the bench, while the point is also made that every Jufe team will be weaker without Waifer.
The new players did impress – Cahill featured prominently in Brittany Hogan’s score and won a number of penalties – but it was still an Ireland performance that looked disjointed and lacked cohesion.
A win should never be taken for granted, especially one week after an upset loss. But for a team with ambitions to challenge England-France duopoly on top of female Six Nations table, this was not a representation of the required standard.
Parsons recorder
Béibhinn Parsons deserves praise for two reasons. Returning to the Ireland XV after missing out last week, the double scored 24 international tries, a new record for Ireland.
Both results were also examples of Ireland offering a rare edge on a day when they often struggled for fluidity with ball in hand.
Parsons’ first try came on the counter-attack, fellow winger Vicky Elmes Kinlan hitting back before the ball was wide. Anna McGann offered herself as a vital link, striding upfield before crucially drawing a defender with Parsons outside her.
With only No. 8 Jennifer Nduka between her and the line, Parsons had too much speed, took the outside and won the race comfortably.
The second score for Ireland’s number 14 came with another vital contribution from McGann. Picking up a loose ball following a Japanese error in the second half, the center’s assist was even better than her first, sending Parsons clear and on top of Ireland’s try charts.
Far from deserved individual accolades, these results were notable in their genesis. Despite the second half slump, Ireland looked more impressive in the general phase of the game against the USA than they did this time out. Japan was able to compete defensively, which caused numerous problems at the breakdown when they won multiple penalties.
Ireland needed a different way to break them down, with neither set-pieces nor long passes proving effective. Instead, they turned to their transition and counter attack to put Parsons in the record books and their visitors to the sword.
Irish discipline and the misery of the maul
Last weekend the USA scored three tries while Ireland had a man in the bucket. Most of those scores, if not all of the Eagles’ tries on the day, came from a dominant roll.
Seven days later, Ireland conceded twice as Erin King found herself on a naughty step after going wild and reaching for the Japanese line. Whether defending with 14 or 15 on the park, three of the four tries coughed up by Ireland came from Japan. Notice a pattern?
There are a number of possible explanations for Ireland’s consistent misses in the last two games. Have they adapted to World Rugby’s new maul law enforcement guidelines, focusing on players who interfere on the wrong side of the drive? Is it simply harder to defend a strike now and many sides will struggle, Ireland among them?
Perhaps it is worth pointing out the personnel change in the Irish camp. Alex Codling was the assistant coach previously responsible for the set-up and was widely praised by the players, with one calling him a ‘Jedi’, such was his expertise. He left the lineup at the end of the women’s Rugby World Cup last year. He was replaced by Alan O’Connor, a former Ulster second row. Now it is Neill Alcorn who is doing double duty as Superintendent of the Ulster Provincial Road.
At this stage it should be said that this match was not a complete fight. In that first half, Niamh O’Dowd and Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan disrupted back-to-back Japanese attacks, winning a loose ball on one occasion, while a foul on Neve Jones unfortunately cost them a second.
Much like Ireland as a whole, there were patches of excellence, but disjointed moments never felt far away.
