After posting a record points tally against England last time out, Wales entered their Women’s Six Nations clash with Ireland hoping to build momentum. However, the tournament’s two-week break seemed to do more harm than good, as the Welsh side looked uninspired in a 33-12 defeat.
For the third consecutive match, Wales stayed competitive until halftime, but Ireland’s third try proved to be the decisive blow. The visitors should have gone into the break trailing just 12-7, but a failure to clear the ball when the clock was already in the red gifted Ireland one final attacking opportunity.
“We talk about championship moments, and that was one of them,” said Wales captain Bethan Lewis. “Putting ourselves on the back foot going into halftime is frustrating. We need to tighten up on things like that.”
Unlike their second-half fightback against England—where they scored two late tries to secure a bonus point—Wales could muster little after the break in Belfast. Ireland dominated possession and territory, with last year’s player of the championship Aoife Wafer leading the charge.
The traveling fans’ only consolation came from a 78th-minute try by Jasmine Joyce, but it was not enough to prevent Wales from leaving empty-handed.
“We’re ranked 12th in the world, and we played the team ranked fifth,” said Wales head coach Sean Lynn. “You can clearly see that when you’re away from home, you’ve got to be a lot more clinical. We said in the huddle after the game that we need to improve our composure and accuracy.”
“I wouldn’t say the girls dropped their heads. They stuck to their processes, but Ireland kept the ball really well. The girls give everything out there, and when you see them upset after the game, it’s because they care—they want to win. So it’s tough.”
Wales are now on a nine-match losing streak, with one final chance next Sunday to avoid a third consecutive wooden spoon in the Six Nations. While a home match against Italy would be a targeted win for Lynn’s side, the Azzurri arrive full of confidence after backing up a convincing victory over Scotland with a five-try performance in their loss to England.
“We will come out firing. We’re hurting. We do have more to give. There are a lot of learnings, and hopefully we can put on a good show next week,” said Lewis. “The first two games at home were incredible. The support was incredible, and having that red wall in the stands gives us energy.”
