IRELAND 31-12 WALES
After this year’s Six Nations championship wraps, Beibhinn Parsons will turn focus to her Leaving Cert examinations.
It was clear when Ireland head coach Adam Grigg handed a Test debut to a then 16-year-old Beibhinn Parsons, some 18 months ago, that there was a top prospect to watch closely.
Parsons showed sensational swatches of her talent, back in September 2019, when she scored a hat-trick for Connacht against Munster on her senior interprovincial debut. Now 18, the Galway native has taken that provincial form into the Six Nations.
Parsons sealed Ireland’s victory over Scotland, last weekend, when she intercepted the ball in her own 22 and blazed up-field to dot down. Against Wales, at Energia Park today, Parsons light the touch-paper with another try destined to go viral.
Wales started off brightly in Donnybrook but a poor clearance attempt was pounced upon by the teenage winger. She juggled the ball, stayed in touch and then turned on the after-burners to leave three Welsh defenders in her wake.
Absolutely superb from Beibhinn Parsons as she scores her second stunner in a week 🏃♀️🏃♀️pic.twitter.com/juSPQEkoeS
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) February 9, 2020
Ireland scored two more tries in a hugely encouraging first half – in terms of defence then attack – as Cliodhna Moloney was put through by Sene Naoupu and Laura Delaney blazed through the Welsh lines just inside their half and cruised over.
Wales responded with a try of their own before the break but Ireland looked to have sealed the win when tighthead Linda Djougang powered over early in the second half. To the credit of Wales, they answered back soon after with a second try and kept battling until the very end.
Weather conditions deteriorated badly in the second half as driving winds and rain made handling conditions tough, but several of the Irish bench can be content with their impacts after coming on.
The final act of the game saw Ireland’s pack rewarded for their brilliant, collective performance when the referee awarded them a penalty try off the back of a rumbling scrum.
That results means it is two wins from two ahead of their next outing against championship favourites England on February 22.
OUR PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Beibhinn Parsons (Ireland Women)
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Ronan O’Gara and Shane Williams drop into the House of Rugby studio for a chat with Barry Murphy, Andrew Trimble and Jerry Flannery. The gang preview the Guinness Six Nations clash between Ireland and Wales, and Matt Williams proves to be a legend during a phone-call forfeit.
