Wales’ powerful pack overturned a nine-point deficit to hand Ireland a 27-19 defeat in tightly-contested TikTok Women’s Six Nations opener.
The attendance of 6,113 at the RDS set a new record for a standalone Women’s Six Nations game in Ireland, but Wales finished the stronger thanks to tries in the final seven minutes from replacement Donna Rose and Hannah Jones.
Two classy efforts from Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (16 minutes) and Linda Djougang (29) had Ireland leading 14-5 at half-time, with Carys Phillips sandwiching in a maul score for Wales.
It was a first half of few chances, but this new-look Ireland team did well to take theirs – Sam Monaghan and Djougang standing out in the forward exchanges – despite a high penalty count against them.
However, the more experienced Welsh side, who now have a dozen full-time contracted players, used their robust set-piece game to dominate possession and territory after the break.
Jasmine Joyce and Stacey Flood swapped tries before Ireland paid the price for those penalties, the influential Rose twice driving over from close range, clinching the bonus point, and Jones breaking free for a fine closing score.
Eimear Considine’s 71st-minute sin-binning proved very costly for the hosts as they were overhauled on the scoreboard in Greg McWilliams’ first match in charge.
Led out by new captain Nichola Fryday, Ireland were forced to defend early on. Considine was busy, clearing well after Elinor Snowsill had missed touch from a penalty. The full-back also used her fend to attack from deep.
However, Wales were dominating possession, creating a sixth-minute overlap but not capitalising on it against a fast Irish defensive line.
The visitors used their size advantage to bring Irish attacks to ground and win turnover ball, but the breakthrough was made by the girls in green towards the end of the opening quarter.
A wraparound move involving Flood and Murphy Crowe released Eve Higgins down the right wing. When possession swung back to the right, Flood’s skip pass allowed Murphy Crowe to beat two defenders with a cracking finish in the corner.
Nicole Cronin’s crisply-struck conversion split the posts, and Ireland’s defence stood up to the next onslaught with Katie O’Dwyer, Dorothy Wall and Monaghan all landing big tackles, leading to a Neve Jones-won penalty.
Nonetheless, Ireland were falling foul of referee Kat Roche’s whistle at the breakdown, and a well-set lineout maul sent hooker Phillips over for an unconverted try from a few metres out.
New cap Aoibheann Reilly and Flood’s impressive distribution was moving the Welsh defence around the pitch, with the resulting width delivering a second seven-pointer for the home side on the half hour mark.
Lucy Mulhall kept the attack going out wide before lock Monaghan’s excellent offload out of a tackle put prop Djougang stepping off her left to power in under the posts. Cronin conversion’s made it a nine-point lead.
Fryday’s lineout steal saw Ireland close out the half on their terms, but Wales ominously responded with a strong start to the second period.
A crucial tackle from Considine denied Alisha Butchers a try, with Murphy Crowe following up with the poach on the ground just in front of the Irish posts.
Wales maintained their grasp of territory, though, and they threatened through their maul before Snowsill did well to send flyer Joyce over wide on the left, past the outstretched Considine.
Snowsill was short again with her conversion attempt at 14-10 and Ireland a had a let-off soon after, obstruction in the Welsh lineout allowing them to kick clear after Ioan Cunningham’s charges had gone close to a second maul try.
Ireland stormed back downfield to score in opportunistic fashion, Wales coughing up ball from a quickly-taken lineout and Djougang carried forcefully before Mulhall and Considine combined to send Flood over in the left corner.
Cronin was short with the conversion on this occasion, and Wales wasted little time in building pressure back in the red zone through their rejuvenated forwards.
Djougang ripped possession away at one maul, but Wales made it count a few minutes later, getting their lineout drive right as Rose plunged over to the left of the posts. Snowsill sent the conversion wide.
The Welsh bench had the bigger impact, Rose burrowing over from close range to move them ahead for the first time with 72 minutes on the clock. Considine had been dispatched to the bin just minutes earlier.
Replacement Robyn Wilkins converted to make it 22-19, and with Ireland unable to build for a response, centre slipping by two defenders to seal Wales’ first Six Nations win since 2019 – and their first away to Ireland in the Championship since 2008.
TIME LINE: 16 minutes – Ireland try: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe – 5-0; conversion: Nicole Cronin – 7-0; 26 mins – Wales try: Carys Phillips – 7-5; conversion: missed by Elinor Snowsill – 7-5; 29 mins – Ireland try: Linda Djougang – 12-5; conversion: Nicole Cronin – 14-5; Half-time – Ireland 14 Wales 5; 46 mins – Wales try: Jasmine Joyce – 14-10; conversion: missed by Elinor Snowsill – 14-10; 56 mins – Ireland try: Stacey Flood – 19-10; conversion – missed by Nicole Cronin – 19-10; 64 mins – Wales try: Donna Rose – 19-15; conversion: missed by Elinor Snowsill – 19-15; 71 mins – Ireland yellow card: Eimear Considine; 73 mins – Wales try: Donna Rose – 19-20; conversion: Robyn Wilkins – 19-22; 78 mins – Wales try: Hannah Jones – 19-27; conversion: missed by Robyn Wilkins – 19-27; Full-time – Ireland 19 Wales 27
IRELAND WOMEN: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster); Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC/Leinster); Nicole Cronin (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Linda Djougang (ASM Romagnat Rugby/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Katie O’Dwyer (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).
Replacements: Emma Hooban (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Chloe Pearse (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Enya Breen (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Beibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht).
WALES WOMEN: Kayleigh Powell (Bristol Bears); Lisa Neumann (Gloucester-Hartpury), Hannah Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Kerin Lake (Gloucester-Hartpury), Jasmine Joyce (Bristol Bears); Elinor Snowsill (Bristol Bears), Keira Bevan (Bristol Bears); Gwenllian Pyrs (Sale Sharks), Carys Phillips (Worcester Warriors), Cerys Hale (Gloucester-Hartpury), Natalia John (Bristol Bears), Gwen Crabb (Gloucester-Hartpury), Alisha Butchers (Bristol Bears), Alex Callender (Worcester Warriors), Siwan Lillicrap (Bristol Bears) (capt).
Replacements: Kelsey Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Cara Hope (Gloucester-Hartpury), Donna Rose (Saracens), Sioned Harries (Worcester Warriors), Bethan Lewis (Gloucester-Hartpury), Ffion Lewis (Worcester Warriors), Robyn Wilkins (Gloucester-Hartpury), Sisila Tuipoulotu (Gloucester-Hartpury).
Referee: Kat Roche (USA)
Source: Irish Rugby