NIAMH BRIGGS' IRELAND U20S LOSE TO ENGLAND IN SUMMER SERIES OPENER

HANNAH CLARKE SHOWED her footballing skills to strike for a closing 70th-minute try as the Ireland U20 Women gave a very good account of themselves against an experienced England team in Parma.

This was the first international match played by the Ireland U20 Women, who are coached by 2013 Grand Slam winner Niamh Briggs, and with England being one of the standard bearers at this age-grade, it was always going to a difficult challenge.

The inaugural Women’s Six Nations Summer Series kicked off in sweltering Italian heat.

Led by two-try captain and player-of-the-match Lilli Ives Campion, England built a 26-5 half-time lead.

UL Bohemian duo Kate Flannery and Chisom Ugwueru combined for a slick 21st-minute score, with the winger, one of three U-23 players permitted in the matchday squad, displaying her Energia All-Ireland League-honed finishing abilities.

Ireland had a number of purple patches in the second half, and the full squad contributed to a fine effort which saw them score through Clarke to cancel out an earlier Lia Green score.

Flannery, Ugwueru, Ruth Campbell, and Ivana Kiripati, who all have experience of the Ireland senior set-up, led by example, and there were bright moments from some of the U19-eligible players, including Beth Buttimer, Clarke and Kelly Burke, who won a late turnover penalty.

While disappointed with the lopsided scoreline, the collective performance augurs well for the rest of the tournament which sees Briggs’ youngsters play hosts Italy next Tuesday (KO 9am Irish time), and Scotland in the final round on Sunday week.

They’re currently going head-to-head in the final game of the day, while France beat Wales 57-12 earlier.

England scorers

Tries: Tori Sellors, Lilli Ives Campion 2, Reneeqa Bonner, Lia Green

Cons: Lia Green 4

Ireland scorers

Tries: Chisom Ugwueru, Hannah Clarke

HT: England 26 Ireland 5

ENGLAND U20: Lia Green (Loughborough Lightning/Winscombe RFC); Sophie Hopkins (Sale Sharks/Fullerians RFC), Millie Hyett (Gloucester-Hartpury/Worcester Girls RFC), Carmela Morrall (Loughborough Lightning/Dubai Hurricanes), Reneeqa Bonner (Bristol Bears/Clevedon RFC); Amelia MacDougall (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints), Tori Sellors (Saracens/Sevenoaks RFC); Chloe Flanagan (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints), Lucy Calladine (Loughborough Lightning/Burton RFC), Hannah Sams (Exeter Chiefs/Kingsbridge RFC), Tyla Shirley (Harlequins/Hove RFC), Lilli Ives Campion (Loughborough Lightning/Telford Hornets RFC) (capt), Anna Richardson (Exeter University/Tynedale RFC), Joia Bennett (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints), Annabel Meta (Trailfinders Women/Wimbledon RFC).

Replacements used: Ellie Roberts (Loughborough Lightning/Basingstoke RFC) for Meta (50 mins), Amelia Williams (Loughborough Lightning/Medway RFC) for Flanagan, Millie David (Bristol Bears/Reading RFC) for Hopkins (both 53), Samantha Shiels (Trailfinders Women/Grasshoppers RFC) for Bonner (54), Jorja Battishill (Gloucester-Hartpury) for Shirley (59), Shirley for Richardson, Niamh Swailes (Sale Sharks/Ryton RFC) for Calladine, Kira Leat (Trailfinders Women/Havant RFC) for Sams (all 64), Alex Wilkinson (Henley Hawks) for Sellors (67).

IRELAND U20: Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Leinster); Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Connacht), Lucia Linn (Loughborough University/IQ Rugby), Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster); Kate Flannery (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Jade Gaffney (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster); Hannah Wilson (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Beth Buttimer (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Sophie Barrett (Enniskillen RFC/Railway Union RFC/Ulster), Ruth Campbell (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Jane Neill (Galwegians RFC/Leinster) (capt), Brianna Heylmann (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Éadaoin Murtagh (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ivana Kiripati (American International College/Connacht).

Replacements used: Clíodhna Ní Chonchobhair (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Murtagh (34 mins), Grainne Burke (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Wilson, Aoibheann Hahessy (Ennis/Kilrush RFC/UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) for Heylmann, Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Mullingar RFC/Leinster) for Boylan (all 55), Niamh Gallagher (Saracens/IQ Rugby) for Clarke (57), May Goulding (Saracens/Old Albanian Saints/IQ Rugby) for Gaffney (61), Lily Morris (Killarney RFC/Munster) for Barrett (64), Kelly Burke (Mullingar RFC/Leinster) for Buttimer (68), Murtagh for Kiripati (72).

Referee: Berenice Bralley (France)

2024-07-04T19:42:14Z dg43tfdfdgfd