Women’s Interprovincial Championships, Saturday, Dexcom Stadium. Third/fourth playoff: Connacht v Ulster, 2pm. Final: Munster v Leinster, 4.30pm – Live on TG4 YouTube channel
The preamble to the women’s interprovincials finale at the Dexcom Stadium in Galway, a double header on Saturday afternoon, has been an unrelentingly chastening experience for those who have opposed Munster on match days.
Leinster were first to experience the feeling when thumped 39-19 on the opening weekend of the tournament at Virgin Media Park and it is Sana Govender’s charges that will try to deny Munster back-to-back titles and their 17th in the history of the competition.
They are perennial foes at this stage of the tournament. Connacht were the last side to disrupt the hegemony back in 2016. There is a slightly surreal feel to the build-up in one respect as the players came together under the Ireland banner for a 2½-day camp earlier this week in preparation for their first WXV match against the USA in Tallaght Stadium next month.
The red and blue replaces the green, and friendships are shelved for an afternoon in Galway. The prematch chat, publicly, from Govender and Munster counterpart Matt Brown, has been scrupulously polite, acknowledging qualities in the opposition.
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Govender admitted: “You have to be on your ‘A’ game. Like I said before day one [match between the teams], we know what they like to do, we know how they play, they’re physical, they’re fast, they’re relentless and they don’t stop.
“And if you take backwards steps, if you don’t match that physicality as a baseline, you’ll start to lose your momentum completely, and it’s hard to come back from.”
Brown warned: “I wouldn’t read anything into us beating Leinster on day one, because when you look at the team it’s practically an Irish team. If they turn up in the right frame of mind, it could be a tough afternoon.”
Leinster make two changes from the side that ran in 75 points against Ulster – Robyn O’Connor scored five tries – as Ireland’s first-choice outhalf Dannah O’Brien returns in the 10 jersey, while Kate Jordan moves from the bench to the secondrow.
Munster also made a couple of alterations from the side that beat Connacht 47-12. Captain Maeve Óg O’Leary returns, Clodagh O’Halloran shifts from flanker to secondrow to replace the injured Jane Clohessy, while Ireland international Eilís Cahill comes in at tight head prop.
Playing for the interpro crown is enough as a stand-alone focus but with the Irish Test match calendar resuming with the USA game on September 10th, the final will present an easy benchmarking process for Ireland head coach Scott Bemand. There are those who have the jerseys and those who want them. It will add to the competitive dynamic of the occasion.
Brown agreed: “The way we pitch inside is that, if you’re falling in with the ethos and the way we play as a team, then it should be a platform for you to stand out. If you get moments going head-to-head, then you’d better take them.
“They do get monitored in camp as well, but this is the match situation, so this is where they want to show and deliver that I’m better than my counterpart. As a result, if that drives standards and performances, then the game itself gets better. You just hope that the girls in our camp are fired up for it, and they do go out and prove a point and try and squeeze their way into jerseys.”
Leinster were dominated up front in that first match of the tournament; their backs managed only sporadic opportunities to change the nature of the contest. If that pertains once again, then the outcome won’t change. The fact that nine of Munster’s starting team come from the one club – UL Bohemian – facilitates unit skills and understanding but Leinster have had two further games to foster better continuity.
Govender admitted the focus had been on improving the basics up front in the interim. “Scrum, lineout, but not only set-piece, you’re talking about kick-offs, kick-receipts, and making sure that we have a strong platform. If you lose [in the] physicality [stakes], if you lose your platform, you’re going to struggle.
“We have done our best to not only rectify but become proficient at it. It was more the connection piece from having all your players together on the same page, and it takes time. Only Saturday will tell.
“We didn’t show up on the day for game one, and that’s our biggest learning going into the final game. It wasn’t to do with squad selection or player ability. We were off the mark, energy-wise, and you could tell when we got there. We’ve worked really hard to try and turn that around. And it feels like we have, but Saturday will tell.”
The final will be preceded by the third and fourth place playoff, where Connacht will be strong favourites against an Ulster team that has suffered several bruising defeats. Head coach Murray Houston has blooded several younger players into the senior ranks including debuts for Caitlin Crowe, Grace Simati, Amy McConkey, Leah Irwin and Olivia McKinney.
MUNSTER (UL Bohemian unless stated): Aoife Corey; Alana McInerney, Lucia Linn, Enya Breen (Blackrock College); Chisom Ugwueru; Caitríona Finn, Emily Lane (Blackrock College); Siobhán McCarthy (Railway Union), Beth Buttimer, Eilís Cahill; Aoibhe O’Flynn; Clodagh O’Halloran; Sally Kelly (Ennis), Grace Moore, Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College, capt).
Replacements: Emma Dunican, Tuathla Ryan (Shannon), Alisha Flynn (Old Belvedere), Caoimhe Murphy (Clonakilty), Niamh O’Mahony (Ballincollig), Abbie Salter-Townshend, Andrea Murphy (Blackrock College), Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere).
LEINSTER: Stacey Flood (Railway Union); Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere), Eve Higgins (Railway Union), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere), Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere); Caoimhe Molloy (Wicklow), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College, capt), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere); Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere), Kate Jordan (Blackrock College); Kathy Baker (Blackrock College), Regan Casey (Blackrock College), Erin King (Old Belvedere).
Replacements: Emma Jane Wilson (Port Dara Falcons), Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere), Hope Lowney (MU Barnhall), Róisín Kinch (Tullow), Aoife Corcoran (MU Barnhall), Nikki Gibson (Blackrock College), Alex Connor (Navan), Emma Tilly (MU Barnhall).
ULSTER: Ella Durkan (Blackrock College); Katie Gilmour (Cooke), Caitlin Crowe (Virginia), Leah Irwin (Enniskillen), Niamh Marley (QUB); Abby Moyles (Blackrock College), Rachael McIlroy (QUB); Sarah Roberts (QUB), Maebh Clenaghan (QUB), Sadhbh McGrath (QUB); Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan (Old Belvedere), Olivia McKinney (Banbridge); Toya Hill (Enniskillen), Rebecca Beacom (Enniskillen), Claire Boles (Railway Union, capt).
Replacements: Emily Whittle (QUB), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen), Ava Fannin (Blackrock College), Ellen Patterson (QUB), Stacey Sloan (Enniskillen), Georgia Boyce (Cooke), Siobhán Sheerin (Clogher Valley), Rebecca Mann (QUB).
