As the saying goes, it is the hope that kills you and that was definitely the case for the Irish fans in Cork. Ireland’s classy first-half performance had a nation daring to dream of a first win over their rivals since 2015, which highlights their remarkable improvement.
Almost a year ago they fell to an 88-10 defeat at the hands of England but have gone on to beat New Zealand and the USA. The hosts kept England from scoring in this encounter until the 34th minute and they frustrated large parts of their game. But the Red Roses know how to flick a switch and turn on their clinical edge, which is exactly what they did in the second half which was complete one-way traffic as they once again proved why they are the No 1 team in the world.
England needed players to step up after half-time and five of their leadership group had a huddle before entering the tunnel at the break. It paid off as devastating attack rendered a dominant scoreboard come full time and at the heart of it was Meg Jones, the vice-captain, who finished off a try herself, and player of the match Maud Muir.
The wing Abby Dow did not get a try herself but she had a good performance on the occasion of her 50th cap. In the buildup Dow was described by the England prop Hannah Botterman as “the best winger in the world, probably the best player in the world”. The 27-year-old, who was limping for a time but finished the fixture, was a thorn in Ireland’s side and she is undoubtedly in the best player discussion.
The Irish first-half defence was ferocious and their supporters let them know what they thought of it with rapturous cheers coming at every turnover and penalty won. With 19 minutes gone, Ireland had missed only two of 47 tackles, with the statistics evidencing their classy work. The hosts were undeniably on top but they had not managed to render a difference where it mattered: on the scoreboard. That was until Amee-Leigh Costigan raced after a grubber kick to dot down and send the Cork crowd wild. The captain’s score was the first try by an Ireland player against the Red Roses since Claire Molloy’s in 2018, as their tries in 2019 and 2024 were penalty tries.
France maintained their perfect start to the Women's Six Nations campaign with a 42-12 bonus-point win over Wales in Brive to stay on course for the grand slam.
After Emilie Boulard, back in the starting XV, touched down in the corner to give France an early lead, Wales responded when Kate Williams was driven over following a lineout. The winger Boulard extended the advantage with a second try in the 16th minute after more strong carrying by the French pack, only for Wales to again get another close-range score from Gwen Crabb.
Rose Bernadou then saw a try ruled out for a dropped ball, but, with the clock in the red, the hooker Manaé Feleu crossed after a lineout and Morgane Bourgeois added the extras to give France a 21-12 half-time lead.
Feleu, France co-captain, crashed over four minutes into the second half to secure a bonus point, before Wales – beaten by Scotland and then thrashed by England in Cardiff – had a try from Courtney Keight ruled out for obstruction in the buildup.
With 13 minutes left, Wales conceded a penalty try after collapsing a scrum, with Maisie Davies sent to the sin bin. France made their late pressure count as replacement Léa Champon pushed over in the closing stages. PA Media
The scrambling to find the statistic for the last time England went into half-time trailing was quickly abandoned, with Morwenna Talling finishing off a deadly driving maul. The fly-half Zoe Harrison’s successful conversion pushed them to a 7-5 lead. The leadership group huddle, which included Zoe Aldcroft – the captain – Jones, Harrison, the lock Abbie Ward and the scrum-half Natasha “Mo” Hunt, highlighted just how much pressure England were under.
The wing Jess Breach thought she had England off to the perfect second half start with a try but a check by the television match official showed her foot was in touch thanks to a cracking tackle by Costigan, who was one of Ireland’s standout players. The Red Roses were throwing everything at Ireland to get their usual clinical attack into gear but a knock-on by Lark Atkin-Davies rendered more cheers from the crowd, the loudest coming from the replacement hooker Cliodhna Moloney, who was still on the bench.
The first major error from Ireland came when Niamh O’Dowd was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements. Being a player up, England pounced but the full-back Ellie Kildunne dropped the ball in the in-goal area. However, all good things come to those who wait and England were eventually over through Harrison.
With that try, the scoring dam was burst wide open. Jones finished off a slick team try, the replacement prop Sarah Bern added two more and Kildunne then found her score. The other replacement prop, Kelsey Clifford, rounded off the tries with her first for her country.
A few eyebrows were raised when the replacement Holly Aitchison took the last conversion after a flawless display from Harrison. But John Mitchell, the head coach, explained the wrong tee had been brought on, which led to the switch in kicker.
The Red Roses have a seventh successive Six Nations title in their sights, with Scotland and France standing in their way.
