A Magnificent Rugby Weekend
The weekend of March 21st and 22nd 2015 will live long in the memory of Irish sports fans because on the weekend the Irish men and women completed a double with two Six Nations titles on their way back to Ireland. Ireland men beat Scotland at Murrayfield by 40-10 and then today Ireland women beat Scotland by 73-3. Not a bad sporting weekend at all. For so long Ireland have been the bridesmaids and seen others go up to collect the prize after coming up agonizingly short. But for the 2nd time in three seasons that was not the case for both sides.
The men led by Paul O Connell put in a strong clinical performance to see Scotland off and secure the required points difference required to win a Championship that may have looked beyond them after Wales put 60 on Italy. As so often in this championship they tore up the script and played from the front led by a refreshed Sean O Brien and Peter O Mahony , they went after the Scots at the breakdown and also at scrum time and this dominance saw them go in at the break 17 points up and on the way to surpassing required 21 points to win the title.
They were again clinical in the second 40 that saw Jared Payne cross for his first try in the green of Ireland. He along with Robbie Henshaw have provided a solid platform from centre , although not spectacular it has been very effective in defence and when chances have appeared they made the most of them.
Ireland may have lost the chance to win the Grand Slam with defeat to Wales but they were still in with a shout of Championship glory but they would have to wait until Wales set them a target to see what they would require to put themselves in with a chance of back to back titles for the first time since 48,49. They won and set England a 26 point target which they came within 6 of overturning but alas it was not to be for England and in the Darkness of Murrayfield they collected their prize for the 2nd time in three years Ireland were Six Nations winners.
Attention then moved to Clyde FC where Niamh Briggs and her charges went into battle knowing they needed to win by 27 clear points to secure the Six Nations crown for the second time in three seasons and from minute one they chased down that points total and they led 37-3 at the break with Skipper Niamh Briggs on the occasion of her 50th cap leading her team from the front.
This game was won by an impressive set of forwards that did all the basics very well. They had an impressive scrum , maul and line out that yielded dividends on nearly every occasion that they made it into the Scottish 22. Sophie Spence was immense , Excuse the pun !! She along with Claire Molloy , Paula Fitzpatrick and others were a sight to behold as they mauled the weary Scots all over the pitch.
They came out in the second half and again moved the ball around and scored a flurry of late tries that saw them push even further clear that saw them eventually put 73 points the Scots to seal a great triumph for Tom Tierney and his squad that may have lost experience since the World Cup last August but still has some experience to call on. They along with the men have made this weekend truly special.
After so few tries through out the Championship it was great to see all six teams shake off the shackles and go and run the ball instead of kicking the ball each time. Huge congrats to both squads and coaches Joe Schmidt and Tom Tierney.
From a personal point of view , it was a remarkable weekend and it was really special to see Ireland show the world what they are capable of. Who knows what is ahead for both of these squads with a World Cup and also the thought of the Womens World Cup being given to Ireland in 2017. Thought provoking times ahead for Irish Rugby.
By
Cian Mc Gibney
22-03-2015.
