Six-try Ireland on form in Spain

Tania Rosser (9) is just about to spot a gap...

This was Spain's second game in a week against opposition likely to be competing for a place in at least the semi-finals next month and, on paper at least, there were signs of improvement. Three tries were an advance on the single penalty scored against France, but in truth the real concerns were in defence - which seems something of a theme among teams switching back into fifteens after concentrating on sevens.

However, whereas France started their game with their 1st XV, and Ireland had all of their leading players in their match squad, Spain were far from their best possible team. Laura Esbri, Julia Pla, Barbara Pla, Irene Schiavon and Berta Garcia (to name but five) are all players capable of holding a place in most international XVs but none were available for Spain this week. Particularly for a nation with such a small player pool, to lose so many world-class players at once will have been a major challenge for Etxegibel and his coaching team.

The positive will be that a number of players will have gained important test match experience, which will be invaluable when faced with five games at two weeks at the World Cup.

And the team seems to be learning. As against France, Spain conceded an early score when Niamh Briggs touched down after seven minutes, but this time they recovered well and within four minutes were ahead though a well worked forwards try by Maria Ribera, converted by Patricia Garcia. That lead was extended ten minutes later with a Garcia penalty.

However Ireland were soon back on terms, Alison Miller using her speed to break the Spanish line. With Briggs converting Ireland were ahead again - and then on the final play of the half Tania Rosser saw a gap and squeezed through for Ireland's third try.

After playing well in the first half, to go in nine points behind instead of two was a blow for Spain. Experience and match-fitness also now had an impact, with Ireland's Jenny Murphy coming off the bench to score two tries extending Ireland's lead to 31-10 on the hour.

With the benches now being used, the final 20 minutes lost a little of the structure of the first 60, and there were three more tries, two of which went to the home team, the game ending with Iera Etxebarría scoring their third try following a long perfectly weighted kick ahead from Patricia Garcia.

Ireland have one more pre-tournament game, against Wales in Malahide on 20th July.

SPAIN: 1. Mª Carmen Sequedo; 2. Isabel Rico; 3. Elena Redondo; 4. Diana Gasso; 5. María Ribera; 6. Paula Medín; 7. Ángela del Pan; 8. Ana María Aigneren (c); 9. Patricia García; 10. Vanesa Rial; 11. Elizabet Martínez; 12. Elena Roca; 13. Marina Bravo; 14. Iera Etxebarría; 15. África Félez.

Replacements: 16. Elsa Porto; 17. Saioa Jaurena; 18. Tania Ortega; 19. María Casado; 20. Lourdes Alameda; 21. Anna Arnau; 22. Marta Cabané.

IRELAND XV: 1. Fiona Coghlan; 2. Sharon Lynch; 3. Fiona Hayes; 4. Heather O’Brien; 5. Orla Fitzsimons; 6. Siobhan Fleming; 7. Claire Molloy; 8.Paula Fitzpatrick; 9.  Tania Rosser; 10.  Nora Stapleton; 11.Alison Miller; 12 Grace Davitt; 13. Lynne Cantwell; 14. Ashleigh Baxter; 15. Niamh Briggs.

Replacements:16. Ailis Egan; 17. Kerri-Ann Craddock; 18.  Marie Louise Reilly; 19 Laura Guest; 20. Larissa Muldoon; 21.  Jenny Murphy; 22. Hannah Casey; 23. Jackie Shiels; 24. Niamh Kavanagh.

Scores:

7 m. Try Briggs 0 – 5

11 m. Try María Ribera, conversion Patricia García 7 – 5

21 m. Penalty. García 10 – 5

34 m. Try Alison Miller, conversion Briggs 10 – 12

40 m. Try Rosser, conversion Briggs 10 – 19

50 m. Try Jenny Murphy, conversion Briggs 10 – 26

62 m. Try Jenny Murphy 10 – 31

71 m. Try Elena Redondo 15 – 31

76 m. Try Irlanda 15 – 36

80 m. Try Iera Etxebarría 20 – 36