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L’Irlande arrache sa place sur le podium
La défaite de l’Italie au pays de Galles, plus tôt dans l’après-midi de ce samedi, avait redonné un véritable intérêt pour cet Irlande – Écosse. Le vainqueur de ce match avait la certitude de prendre la 3e position finale du Tournoi des Six Nations 2024.
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Une place sur le podium loin d’être anecdotique, puisqu’elle offre un ticket direct pour la Coupe du Monde 2025 et pour le WXV1 qui aura lieu à l’automne.
C’est donc l’Irlande qui rafle la mise, une semaine après la raclée reçue à Twickenham (défaite 88-10), en remportant au bout du suspens son deuxième succès dans la compétition (après le succès sur le pays de Galles 36-5).
Sous une pluie battante, les Écossaises démarraient fort et inscrivaient rapidement le premier essai. Leur ballon porté derrière pénaltouche était parfaitement mené et conduisait la talonneuse Elis Martin jusqu’à l’en-but (0-5, 7e).
La sortie sur blessure de la demi de mêlée écossaise Caity Mattinson (11e) a-t-elle freiné les ardeurs de ses partenaires ? A moins que ce ne soit le retour du soleil sur Raven Hill, mais les Irlandaises dominaient les trente dernières minutes de la première période. Elles tenaient le cuir et occupaient le camp adverse, à tel point qu’à la pause, les Calédoniennes avaient effectué trois fois plus de plaquages (97 contre 32). Sans conséquence toutefois pour ces dernières.
En effet, l’Irlande ne parvenait pas à inscrire le moindre point jusqu’aux citrons. Elles regretteront peut-être de ne pas avoir pris les points au pied sur quelques pénalités bien placées. Mais elles ont systématiquement préféré aller en touche.
Un secteur où les deux équipes ont été en souffrance durant tout le match, et toutes les actions irlandaises étaient annihilées par un lancer imprécis ou un ballon cafouillé à la retombée.
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Pas refroidies par ces ratés, les Irlandaises revenaient des vestiaires avec les mêmes intentions. Et ça payait enfin. Un bon jeu au pied de pression de l’ouvreuse Dannah O’Brien provoquait un gros cafouillage au point de retombée. Tant bien que mal, les locales récupéraient le ballon et après quelques temps de jeu, l’ailière Katie Corrigan récompensait enfin les siennes (5-5, 41e).
On les croyait lancées mais moins de dix minutes après, les Écossaises captaient enfin un bon ballon en touche. Sur la suite de l’action, la centre Lisa Thomson se montrait deux fois décisive. Tout d’abord en arrivant lancée dans la défense, créant un point de fixation derrière la ligne d’avantage. Puis en revenant se proposer à hauteur de Meryl Smith de l’autre côté du terrain pour un retour intérieur gagnant (5-12, 52e).
Tout était à refaire pour l’Irlande, qui réagissait sans tarder par un copier-coller du premier essai écossais : pénaltouche à 5 m de la ligne sur la droite du terrain, ballon porté, essai de la talonneuse (remplaçante) Cliodhna Moloney (12-12, 59e).
Les joueuses de Scott Bemond tentent de maintenir un rythme élevé, mais en dépit de situations dangereuses (Parsons 62e, Wafer 72e), elles ont bien du mal à faire céder la digue bleue.
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A la 74e, elles changent de stratégie. Dannah O’Brien désigne enfin les poteaux à Mme Ganley, l’arbitre néo-zélandaise. Grâce à la botte gauche de son ouvreuse, certainement la botteuse/buteuse la plus fiable de la compétition, l’Irlande passait pour la première fois au score (15-12).
L’Écosse aura une balle de match à la sirène, sous forme d’une touche à proximité des 22 adverses. Mais l’alignement n’arrivera pas à capter l’ogive, et O’Brien pouvait dégager en touche.
Womens Six Nations
P
W
L
D
PF
PA
PD
BP T
BP-7
BP
Total
1
England Women's
4
4
0
0
20
2
France Women's
4
4
0
0
19
3
Scotland Women's
4
2
2
0
8
4
Italy Women's
5
1
4
0
7
5
Ireland Women's
4
1
3
0
6
6
Wales Women's
5
1
4
0
5
Comments on RugbyPass
If stormers aren’t available. Based on form and likely availability at the time of the wales Test, you’d think Masuku would be a no-brainer to start. But starting Jordan also makes sense having Masuku come off the bench to close out the game. I’d start Jordan with his brother Jaden. Masuku and Nohamba off the bench.
2 Go to commentsGlad Tom Curry not playing needs time to recover such a great player also his brother Ben how well is he playing now .
1 Go to commentsLet’s examine what might be irking the brainless E: Up until 20 years before this coming Julys tests: 16 games: 14 wins for SA; 1 win for Ire; 1 draw From 20 years until July’ tests Ireland V SA: 13 matches Ireland won 8; SA won 4; 1 draw Points scored Ireland 261; SA 189 Ave Winning Margin: Ireland 11 points; SA 4 points (away 3, home 6) Away win record: Ireland 33.33%; SA 25% Neutral matches 1: Ireland win RWC France 2023. Last SA win June 2016 (8 years ago) They boast 3 World cups in that period (they do boast). The above record is not good, probably not much better than theirs against NZ for same period. That’s why the dopey E is starting fights in his head. He will probably ship a yellow when things don’t go their way in the first test.
127 Go to commentsGoode is like a wet fart on The Rugby Pod and should be shoved aside. Jim knows what he is on about and can get on better without Goode’s nasty little cheap shots.
127 Go to commentsBrumbies will win, crusaders are pretty awful this year
1 Go to commentsThis has the makings of a good match. That’s Leinster’s second team but its a good one (stronger than the teams in SA recently). Ulster are really turning a page. Ryan back is huge, and Keenan too. This could be a cracker.
1 Go to commentsThe Farrells are one of the great father and son combinations. Andy was an RL great, and had he played Union as his first sport, I would be sure he would have been avery significant forcewas in League. And Owen, a Union great, who had he played League, would could have been a great there too i all probability. I feel my attitude to Owen has mellowed as he has aged, and in the post Jones era, evolved and shown his full range of talents. He really is an all round player, and I have wold hope his move to France will be successful. He may even be the piece in the jigsaw that Racing need to rise to challenge Toulouse and LAR. He is ofc now approaching 33 years of age but should still have enough left to make a big contribution in France for at least2/3 years.
45 Go to commentsI reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
2 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
45 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
127 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
9 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
127 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
45 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
9 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
127 Go to comments