WXV: Ireland 36 USA 40
This will hurt, physically and emotionally. Ireland were left to rue a second-half collapse that would have seemed far-fetched or fanciful in the opening 50 minutes as they manoeuvred their way into a 31-12 lead, only to concede four converted tries, two while a player short, as the USA made their superior power tell.
For American head coach, Skerries born Jack Hanratty, it was a noteworthy return to his hometown and he was understandably proud of his team. He picked out a “clinical set piece” and a performance based on a 23-player contribution as pivotal to the outcome. As comebacks go, it was a doozy.
Ireland have been left with much to ponder. Aoife Wafer and Clíodhna Moloney-MacDonald were the pick of a pack that was outmuscled on the gainline. Eve Higgins, Stacey Flood, Aoife Dalton enjoyed some excellent moments while Anna McGann and Aoibheann Reilly were excellent off the bench. Dorothy Wall ran hard.
Leinster's RDS bump and Munster's outhalf crisis
The home side couldn’t get out of their own way in that second half and panicked. They lacked control at crucial times, didn’t manage the game, and gave up a raft of penalties, all of which combined to give the USA possession and access to the Irish 22. Once ensconced their direct carrying and maul superiority wreaked havoc.
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Ireland got an early warning and absorbed a dozen phases as USA went across the pitch, winning the initial gainline several times, only to go so deep from the ruck that they gave up all the space they won in the initial collision. A blocked kick and a penalty gave the home side access to the USA 22 but despite some accurate back play, Robyn O’Connor couldn’t convert a try-scoring opportunity.
While the Americans survived another frontal assault, Ireland finally grabbed the try their endeavour merited as Flood ran a superb inside line to break into the USA 22 and the fullback threw a gorgeous 20-metre cut-out pass to send Vicky Elmes Kinlan racing over in the corner.
Ireland’s enterprise was characterised by width, tempo, and tip-on passes, taking the USA for a tour of Tallaght. Moloney-MacDonald and captain Erin King had combined flawlessly at lineout time, and it was from this platform that the home side grabbed their second try, the Irish hooker at the back of a maul that powered over the line.
The third try in the first quarter of the game went to number eight Wafer, who burrowed over from close range. But again, there was much to admire in the way the home side got themselves into the scoring zone.
The Americans piggybacked on winning four penalties and their dominance in the collisions to grab two tries, the first from captain Georgie Perris-Redding and then garlanded prop Hope Rogers, her third in matches between the countries, one of which was converted by outhalf Bella Vogel.
In between Ireland grabbed a fourth try, McGann, on for Dalton, who underwent a HIA, broke several tackles on a mazy run before passing to the supporting Higgins. Dannah O’Brien converted but the fizz with which the home side started evaporated a little, the concession of penalties and losing the contact allowed the USA to earn purchase in the game and on the scoreboard.
The shape and clean running lines in attack that had been so impressive initially gave way to a more lateral orientation, perhaps with a little fatigue a legacy of the helter-skelter opening passages to the game.
Leading 24-12 at the interval, King’s try, awarded after TMO Aled Griffiths’s intervention, and converted by O’Brien was the perfect post-interval pep for the home side. Irish indiscipline and the Americans physical superiority in the tight were prevalent in a try for hooker Kathryn Treder, converted by Vogel.
The home side needed to take a breath and look to play with a little more control but a spiralling penalty count and a yellow card for wing Elmes Kinlan on 63 minutes were precursors to a fourth try for the USA and second for hooker Treder. The Americans’ superb lineout maul was the catalyst, racking up the metres at a decent clip.
With Ireland a player down and continuing ill-discipline the USA scored a further brace of tries from two of their outstanding performers, secondrow Hallie Taufoo and number eight Freda Tafuna, both converted by Vogel.
From 31-12 up, Ireland now trailed 40-31, having conceded 28 points in just 13 minutes. It was a remarkable turnaround for which the American side deserved huge credit, but by the same token Ireland must accept responsibility for the second-half collapse. Wall’s try in the last minute will sharpen that ache.
The home side can have no complaints but a boatload of regrets. Persistent indiscipline was a huge problem but a failure to defend the American maul was very costly as the visitors’ power game earned them a famous, and on the strength of an avalanche of points, a deserved victory.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 6 mins: Elmes Kinlan try, 5-0; 13: Moloney-MacDonald try, 10-0; 18: Wafer try, O’Brien con, 17-0; 24: Perris-Redding try, Vogel con, 17-7; 27: Higgins try, O’Brien con, 24-7; 31: Rogers try, 24-12. Half-time: 24-12. 45: King try, O’Brien con, 31-12; 57: Treder try, Vogel con, 31-19; 64: Treder try, Vogel con, 31-26; 68: Taufoou try, Vogel con, 31-33; 70: Tafuna try, Vogel con, 31-40; 79: Wall try, 36-40.
IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Leinster); Robyn O’Connor (Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Leinster), Eve Higgins (Leinster), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Leinster), Emily Lane (Munster); Niamh O’Dowd (Gloucester-Hartpury), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Linda Djougang (Leinster); Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs), Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan (Ulster); Jemima Adams Verling (Connacht), Erin King (Leinster, capt), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins).
Replacements: Anna McGann (Connacht) for Dalton (HIA 19-30 and 69 mins); Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) for Moloney-MacDonald, Eilís Cahill (Munster) for O’Dowd, Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks) for Adams Verling, Aoibheann Reilly (Connacht) for Lane (all 50).
Yellow card: Vicky Elmes Kinlan (63 mins).
USA: Kayla Canett; Telesi Uhatafe, Tessa Hann, Emily Henrich, Erica Coulibaly; Bella Vogel, Abigail Paton; Hope Rogers, Kathryn Treder, Keia Mae Sagapolu-Senele; Hallie Taufoou, Rachel Ehrecke; Hann Humphreys, Georgie Perris-Redding (capt), Freda Tafuna.
Replacements: Alivia Leatherman for Sagapolu-Senele (32 mins); Kapoina Bailey for Perris-Redding, Nina Mason for Hann, Erica Jarell-Searcy for Ehrecke (all 52); Kate Zackary for Paton (60); Cassidy Bargell for Vogel (65); Chloe Hill-Huse for Treder, Reece Woods for Rogers (both 75).
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (New Zealand).
