Ireland’s improvement finally rewarded with that winning feeling

• Published date: 15 April 2024
• Publication title: Irish Times (Dublin, Ireland)

Everything about it reeked of bullish confidence and a different view of themselves. There was no space on the short side. They made space

Around this time last year, the last time Ireland played in Cork, they hosted France and England and shipped 101 points; in reply, Ireland mustered one score. In last year’s Six Nations, Wales had feasted on Ireland’s frailties too, but in every sense that Ireland team no longer exists.

Under a new management the squad has been refreshed and revitalised. On Saturday, they snapped a seven-game losing streak in the Six Nations, that stretched back to the last round of the 2022 championship. Looking up again.

Still, they needed the validation of a win in the Six Nations. Inaccuracy and other gremlins in their execution had sabotaged them against Italy a fortnight ago but there were no such frustrations this time. In less than half an hour Ireland racked up three tries, each one beautifully conceived, and all tension floated away. Nobody was bothered in the raucous home crowd of more than 6,000.

It is hard to imagine that any game could have “a match-defining moment”, after two-and-a-half minutes, but Scott Bernard, the Ireland coach, put a lot of store in how Ireland dealt with Wales’ first attack, turning away their lineout maul just metres from the Irish line. “It’s funny what momentum and confidence can do to a group,” he said. “We knew the maul was something we’d have to deal with and I’m so pleased for the girls that they’ve been able to prove to themselves that they can do it.”

Walws didn’t make another entry into Ireland’s 22 for over an hour, by which time they were more than 30 points behind.

Potential Lion

Ireland’s attacking play was terrific and Wafer was at the heart of three of Ireland’s tries. The young flanker, in her debut season, has already been touted by Bernard as a potential Lions tourist next year and was the outstanding player on the pitch here.

She scored Ireland’s first try after 14 minutes, breaking a tackle in the corner to touchdown after a patient, multi-phased attack, and she was instrumental in Ireland’s third try too. Wafer made a break, down the middle, and when she wasn’t held in the tackle, just inside the Welsh half, she resumed her gallop.

Wales were penalised inside their 22 and with the whiff of blood in their nostrils O’Brien kicked the penalty to the corner. The lineout maul worked and Neve Jones got the touchdown.

Ireland terrorised Wales in the lineout and their second try came...