‘There’s a bigger score out there’: Ireland boss demands more after Japan win

Ireland head coach Scott Bemand believes his side could have scored 50 or even 60 points against Japan despite their 43-19 victory in Cork on Saturday.

The out-of-window Test at Virgin Media Park saw Ireland run in seven tries, although Japan threatened a comeback in the second half before the hosts pulled away late on.

The Sakura Fifteen took an early lead when Sakurako Korai bundled over in the fourth minute, but Ireland responded with four tries in the following 36 minutes from Eilis Cahill, Brittany Hogan, Neve Jones and Anna McGann.

Beibhinn Parsons added Ireland’s fifth try shortly after half-time, with Dannah O’Brien converting, before Japan hit back through Nami Asari and Nijiho Nagata to cut the deficit to 10 points.

Ireland eventually put the result beyond doubt as Alana McInerney and Sophie Barrett crossed, with both tries converted by Enya Breen.

“I think there’s a bigger score out there,” Bemand said. “That score should have been in the 50, perhaps even pushing 60. You’re never going to get them all, but I think when we get to where we want to get to, and hopefully that includes South Africa, we’ll be more relentless when we get into the scoring zone.

“I thought Anna McGann was excellent again today. She’s had three games now where she’s able to build a run of games, a run of performances. You saw her desperation to score when she scored in this bottom corner here. It was outstanding.”

Ireland’s autumn campaign has been mixed so far. In their opening WXV Global Series fixture, Bemand’s side surrendered a 19-point lead against the USA Women’s Eagles in Dublin before losing 40-36.

A week later in Galway, Parsons became Ireland’s all-time leading points scorer with a brace of tries in a 31-24 victory over Japan.

With two wins under their belt, Ireland now prepare to take on South Africa in a two-Test series in Cape Town.

Despite the mixed start to the autumn, Bemand maintained that the squad is continuing to develop with the long-term goal of Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 in mind.

“It’s actually been a tough couple of weeks, really,” Bemand said. “From a sort of rip-roaring start against USA to surrendering a 19-point lead and some of the bits of the game that it exposes.

“So there’s a piece around this [WXV] Global Series about growing our game and adding layers.

“You could put a montage together of some absolutely fantastic tries, and there’s probably a montage of bits that we’ve got to tidy up on if we’re going to end up competing at the top end of the game in three years.”