Ireland player ratings vs Italy | 2024 Guinness Women's Six Nations
Ireland player ratings live from the Dublin RDS: The Easter Sunday resurrection that Scott Bemand’s Ireland craved didn’t materialise, Italy instead playing holiday time spoilsports to clinch a 27-21 round two Guinness Six Nations win.
Not since April 2022, when Scotland were edged by a point in Belfast, have the Irish managed a victory in this championship and their losing streak has now extended to seven.
They started brightly, fell away abjectly and yet, incredibly, they somehow came within an agonising few metres of potentially successfully sealing a miracle comeback.
The Italians were playing out garbage time, throwing the ball about with a 13-point lead in the 79th minute, when they gifted Katie Corrigan an intercept.
That cut the gap six and suddenly, instead of seeing out their win with ease, it was backs to the wall for the visitors as there was still time for a final play.
The rejuvenated Irish gathered the restart and fought their way forward to the other side of the halfway line where they won a penalty that was booted to touch inside the 22. It was game now very much on for the home support in the record 6,605 RDS attendance.
Alas, this demonstration of heartening late ticker ultimately went unrewarded as possession was eventually spilled near the try line with the clock more than two minutes in the red. Here are the Ireland player ratings:
15. Lauren Delany – 5
Featured little until caught needlessly running the ball from her try line. She was hauled down, conceding a no-release penalty to allow Italy their 15-7 interval lead. She was also injured in this play and driven away on a medical cart. Thankfully, was later reported to be up and on her feet in the dressing room.
14. Katie Corrigan – 6.5
Fresh from last week’s debut, the teenager only showed the odd glimpse of her potential until she demonstrated she has the concentration for this level as witnessed in her brilliantly finished intercept try which set up a grandstand finish.
13. Eve Higgins – 6
Needed to be patient given the level of mistakes happening around her and she was, making a decent enough contribution whenever she got the opportunity.
12. Enya Breen – 5.5
Her first Test appearance since last year’s opening-round injury wasn’t a brilliantly fond one, ending on 57 minutes just seconds after she slipped off a tackle on the try-scoring Vittoria Vecchini.
11. Beibhinn Parsons – 5
She is a usually class operator whose impacts frequently get the crowd enthusiastically screaming. However, she suffered a nightmare 14 minutes into the second half, cheaply dropping a pass when given a clear run at the line at a time when Ireland trailed 7-15.
10. Dannah O’Brien – 5.5
Promoted from the Le Mans bench, she endured a nervous beginning with inaccurate passing and kicking. Switched to full-back after Delany’s injury and was taken off the tactical kicking with the introduction of Nicole Fowley. However, with the sub kicking poorly, she showed her mettle by hitting back with a peach of a touch finder to set up Neve Jones’ 62nd-minute score and then getting her pack into the 22 again in the final play from another penalty.
6?6?0?5?
A record attendance at the RDS for a women's international ??#GuinnessW6N #IREITA @IrishRugby @leinsterrugby pic.twitter.com/QQCedrS3r0
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 31, 2024
9. Aoibheann Reilly – 6
Started energetically but the frustrating stop-start pattern that materialised after Ireland’s penalty try limited her influence from there until the break. Enjoyed a livelier second half but was hooked on 59.
1. Linda Djougang – 6.5
The French-based prop can be a monster of a player and she put in a high number of dominant tackles but that wasn’t enough to help her team get the decisive advantage it needed even though she trucked along for 77 minutes.
2. Neve Jones – 6.5
Played the full 80 and the reward was her maul try on 62 minutes. Was at fault, however, for the not-rolling-away penalty that invited Italy to kick to touch for their 25th-minute maul try.
3. Christy Haney – 5.5
Her scrummaging was rock solid with Ireland applying the early lead-taking pressure. Mistakes crept in after that, but she wasn’t the only player to suffer in that way. Played for 63.
4. Dorothy Wall – 5.5
Didn’t live up to her name during her 67 minutes as she was unable to put an engine room stop to the Italians. Instead, it was her opposite number who had reason to cheer in being a 33rd-minute try scorer.
5. Sam Monaghan – 7
Back in harness as captain following a concussion, she was defensively abrasive and was also her team’s top carrier. It was her lineout catch and drive from the front that set up the Jones maul score.
??? Drama right until the very end ?
Katie Corrigan with a late score for @IrishRugby ?#GuinnessW6N #IREITA pic.twitter.com/g2JJRNIPmH
— Guinness Women's Six Nations (@Womens6Nations) March 31, 2024
6. Grace Moore – 5.5
Included to start at the expense of last weekend’s omitted skipper Edel McMahon, she had a decent start but then faded and was gone on 54 minutes.
7. Aoife Wafer – 7.5
Wore the No7 shirt but played like a wrecking ball No8. Was a prime driver in helping Ireland get their early penalty try lead and she kept fighting the odds when they were stacked against her team in the second half.
8. Brittany Hogan – 7
Finished her day in pain, getting injured in the final play but she will be pleased with how she went, topping the tackle chart and keeping her team in an uneven contest.
Replacements:
It oscillated from sub hooker Sarah Delaney being left unused to Nicole Fowley being a 36th-minute introduction for the injured Delany. She struggled, with even a kick on a penalty advantage flying backwards at one stage. Ireland finished the fixture on the up, but that was due to Corrigan’s sudden intercept try rather than the bench creating sustained pressure.
"It does feel like a missed opportunity…"
– The Scott Bemand verdict on seeing Ireland lose 21-27 to Italy in the Six Nations, from Liam Heagney ?? at the Dublin RDS. #GuinnessW6N #IREvITA #IrishRugby #rugby pic.twitter.com/PwzB6wp3Sv
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) March 31, 2024
Comments on RugbyPass
well remember the blues had a guy called jed rowlands for a season. remember scott took his coaching team with him give him time
13 Go to commentswell maybe he needs to be introduced to darcy swain then who never got anything much and put a cheifs ands allblack player out injured and made him miss a season recovering
12 Go to commentswell maybe the match offficals should sort it out if they are worried about it and stop the clock
3 Go to commentsI totally agree. I also believe that minor injuries unless dangerous must be treared OFF the field of play and the game continue with a temp replacement if necessary.
3 Go to commentsSend the bill to McLennan.
3 Go to comments2 out of 3 were perfect. TMOs love jumping in on anything outside the law. The fact they saw nothing wrong speaks volumes. You want to see what a late blindside hit looks like, watch Kepu take out Carter in the 2015 World Cup final. Completely different to the Tah’s tackle.
12 Go to commentsverkeerde kant van die gereg lol
5 Go to commentsJust like John Plumtree at the Sharks he has had a poor start to this season’s coaching gig, but now it looks like he is starting to pull them back also having won 1 game in the first Eleven games they played. It obviously helps that 11 of his fifteen are Springbok players. But now they are starting to improve. No ways they can make it to the playoffs this year but they probably used this season as a way to figure out their game plan. One query I have and I think quite a few people have is: Are they playing better simply because of their international players are back or is it the team strategy led by Rob Penney that is starting to tick? Well I guess we wait and see. Also if it doesn't work out this season, it might be that Rob Penney is using this season as a way to organize himself for next season. Getting all his combinations sorted, his team strategies sorted and figuring out who is best is which position. Now I don't follow Super Rugby any more having now a full focus in the URC but I was surprised about the current Crusaders stats.
13 Go to commentsIf I’m a little bloke, who’s just had possession of the ball, I should expect to get cleaned up by Samipeni Finau if he’s opposite me and I do nothing to avoid him. FTFY You’ll need to rewrite the rest of your article now Hamish Bidwell. I’m not sorry for having missed reading this one. I find it hilarious it’s only the static aussie 10s, just waiting there, that are getting smashed. Move on your feet guys, haven’t you watched DMac and Mounga play for the last decade ffs. Chin up, at least your smiles should return when BB returns to SR next year and there’s more 10s to the fodder.
12 Go to commentsFinau is not leaving a lot of room for error that’s true, but he committed to 3 out of four tackles when the player had the ball so that’s all legal. (And incredibly entertaining)
12 Go to commentsHow does the size of the ‘bloke being hit’ factor into this? If you’re on the opposing team you are fair game. Is Finau the first person in history to target the first five? It seems like this is a great strategy to interrupt your opponents attack. As far as I’m aware, of the four excellent hits on Aussie first fives this year only one of them was ruled late. So if crying about legal tackles isn’t whingeing, then what is it?
12 Go to commentsThings I want to pay attention to this series. 1) Nothing against the other teams in 6 nations, but apart from Irelands loss to england, I dont feel they got tested, So I think this might be tight. 2) Rassie wants to build depth, and would rather do it before a world cup, but I am sure deep inside, he will be reminded that we have not beaten Ireland in years. 3) Will our new coaches plans be sound abd organised in time for the Ireland series? Remember our warm ups might only see our second or third string players available (When are we going to have one universal calander year?) 4) I see Ireland have moved on from Sexton, but what will Farrels plans be for SA? I am sure he will go for a full strength squad. 5) I think the test for the springboks will be the Durban game, it will be in winter, so not too hot for the Irish,no altitude, and it rains allot, might remind them of home. Loftus, if the springboks play the right game, I feel altitude like with most games before, can cause some challanges. 6) Off topic, but who is both Anxious and excited about what the Abs are coming with? A whole new coaching team and different style of play.
119 Go to commentsMost underrated player in world rugby.
2 Go to commentsHow many fans will travel to Qatar to watch these games ? because if they dont, it will be played in front of a few disinterested unknowledgeable Qataris and then just becomes media ‘content’. Thats what Test rugby will be reduced to.
1 Go to commentsSo as long as the playmaker still has the ball IN his hands, its OK. Otherwise the timing is wrong and he’s a liability. No grey line there. Thats the rule he is advocating ? Got it.
12 Go to commentsWrite them off at your peril
13 Go to commentsJust fantastic that the professional game is finally being taken to the Pacific islands. Not before time. It justifies the mere existence of Moana as a club, hopefully they can start to get some positive results too. Check out the sheer joy of the crowds in Fiji and the buzz that having a home team creates. Tonga always had (has ?) issues with their ground not complying with International rugby standards, which NZ always used as an excuse for many years not bringing the All Blacks over. Hopefully this match is the first of many. Would be great to see some tourism grow on the back of it. I once went to the Cook Islands Sevens in Rarotonga - tiny island nation but man did they turn it on. Tonga and Samoa will too given half a chance.
1 Go to commentsQuite right. Punish the time wasters. Its BS these time delays for non-injuries. The Boks have been using it for years now to slow down opposition and now its a scourge on the game. Put players like DeGroot on the sideline and restart play immediately. Watch how 5-6 min to fix your boots quickly becomes 1-2 minutes. Better still how about some personal professional management and you check the conditions/turf beforehand and get yourself better prepared. It might even help your team.
3 Go to commentsWhat drivel. Rugby as a contact sport should not be further diminished by crying over legal hard tackles. Take on the line? Be ready to take the hit. This is PC nonsense.
12 Go to commentsGregor Paul is going to be proved totally wrong. The Crusaders will get in the top 8 and are capable of winning this comp. The return of magnificent captain and player Scott Barrett on Friday was huge. There are a number of players returning and Ethan Blackadder showed huge progression in only his third game back. Christian Lio-Willie has added a new dimension , these two’s combination with Cullen Grace was fantastic. This builds depth when you have outstanding players like Tom Christie and Dom Gardiner also available. The tight five improved ten fold and this is with Tamaiti Williams and Codie Taylor being back.Others are set to return. Johnny McNicoll on his return home has been a revelation. Paul can dismiss Fridays win by the Crusaders as much as he likes and he will prove very popular in this country in doing so. But he will be proved wrong , Rob Penney and his coaching team will have the last laugh.
13 Go to comments