Irish hounded by dominant Saxon pack

Englands Saxons 23 Ireland Wolfhounds 17: IRELAND WOLFHOUNDS WERE out-muscled up front and although in the end out-scored England on tries, struggled to contain a stronger England Saxon side in the first match of the championship in Exeter on Saturday.

Ireland were dangerous in open space and ran in three tries to the Saxons’ two but the latter dominated the scrum and controlled their lineout with George Robson causing most of the Irish headaches there.

With Ireland coach Declan Kidney watching from the stand winger Dave Kearney did his chances of promotion no harm with a well-taken try and some great defensive covering, while Tomás O’Leary also shone and hit form when he arrived into the game shortly after half-time. O’Leary’s sniping run and try after just six minutes on the pitch took Ireland to within five points of England, who led the match from beginning to end.

Simon Zebo also showed he could break lines at this level and burned the England defence several times, his injury-time score arriving much too late to change the outcome of the game.

But from the outset the Irish scrum was in deep trouble, while the back-line work was lively and ambitious, if occasionally disjointed as might be expected in a first match. But the visitors were unlucky to find themselves 10-0 down after only 10 minutes.

Freddie Burns put England 3-0 ahead after his first penalty but it was 19-year-old Ben Spencer’s try that left Irish players complaining. Prop Paul Doran-Jones broke out of an English maul to make good ground towards the Irish line.

Spencer picked and saw a huge gap where Isaac Boss should have been. But the Irish scrumhalf had been illegally held by Harlequins secondrow Robson and although the referee was at hand he let the score stand.

Minutes later Ian Keatley deftly put Zebo on a gallop up the left wing. It looked as though the Munster man had made the England line only for Matt Banahan and his 18 stone of muscle to body check him into touch with Kearney begging for the ball inside.

Kearney, though was soon to get his opportunity. The Leinster winger was in support and a few minutes later gave Ireland their first five points on 22 minutes. It was a well-worked try by the Irish back line, Kearney coming infield off his wing and timing his run perfectly, Eoin O’Malley popping him a short ball.

But England kept up the tempo and although there was more than a touch of fortune for Thomas Waldrom’s try, it was English pressure that allowed it happen. Burns kicked through but the ball hit Irish centre Nevin Spence on the back and bounced up for the charging Waldrom, his one-handed catch matching his alertness, giving England a 17-5 lead.

It was then O’Leary and Ian Madigan arrived and almost immediately the scrumhalf made his mark with a pick and run that caught England napping. But two more penalties from Burns proved pivotal and with England dominating the set-piece Ireland were scrambling.

Kearney covered right across the pitch beautifully as Ugo Monye threatened to kick ahead for another English try and Zebo strode in for his touchdown in injury time but Ireland never really threatened to win the match. They were rocking back too often in the scrum and in mauls and when that is happening it’s difficult to make anything happen.

Scoring sequence – 6 mins:F Burns pen 3-0; 10: B Spencer try, Burns con 10-0; 22: D Kearney pen 10-5. 54 mins T Waldrom try, Burns con 17-5; 57: T O'Leary try, I Madigan con 17-12; 69: Burns pen 20-12; 75: Burns pen 23-12; 79: S Zebo try 23-17.

SAXONS:Armitage; Monye, Hopper, Twelvetrees, Banahan; Burns, Spencer; Mullan, Gray, Doran-Jones, Garvey, Robson, Gaskell, Saull, Waldrom. Replacements: May for Banahan (59 mins), Hodgson for Spencer (65 mins), Brooker for Gray (59 mins), Myall for Garvey (46 mins), Johnson for Saull (70 mins).

WOLFHOUNDS: Duffy; Kearney, O'Malley, Spence, Zebo; Keatley, Boss; Wilkinson, Varley, Archer, Tuohy, McCarthy, Muldoon, Henry, Ruddock. Replacements: Hurley for Duffy (55 mins), O'Leary for Boss (51 mins), Loughney for Wilkinson (58 mins), Sherry for Varley (65 mins), Toner for McCarthy (61 mins), McLaughlin for Muldoon (66 mins).

Referee: M Raynal (France).

BRITISH IRISH CUP: Munster to face Leinster

EITHER Munster or Leinster will host the final of the British Irish Cup after the provinces were yesterday drawn to face each other in the last four. The winner of the tie will have home advantage for the April 28th showpiece.

Defending champions Cornish Pirates will face Cross Keys from Wales in the other semi-final, after the impressive newcomers finished one point ahead of Munster in Pool Two. Leinster were unbeaten in Pool Three, though they failed to win all their matches when they were held to a draw by London Welsh. The semi-finals will be played between April 6th and 8th.