I always knew the Italy game was going to be a tough one. But looking at the performance put in by the Ireland last weekend it’s not one to shy away from or be disappointed about.
The girls went into this game confident and gunning for their first win. I definitely saw another step up in performance and I think their intensity also increased.
Coming into this game we were all talking about how the defence was solid but we really needed to start working on our attacking shape. This weekend was a big step in the right direction as we went forward in attack and we aimed to get the ball wide to our wingers.
Now it didn’t always execute or it didn’t always finish the way we wanted it to finish but the idea was there, I think the execution will come but the structures were there and the ideas were in place.
I spoke in my first column about getting that ball out to speed and allowing the likes of Beibhinn Parsons a chance to open up and I think we managed to do that against the Italians.
You could clearly see that the aim was to get that ball on to our finishers and even though the execution let us down or the catch-pass let us down the opportunity was still created.
Every team suffers from handling errors and it doesn’t mean you’re a bad player it just means that you’ve scored the try before you’ve caught the ball or you’ve evaded the defender before you’ve managed to secure the ball. They were just thinking that one step ahead or they took their eye off the ball for a second by focussing on the next task, which results in that misstep or dropped. Sometimes you just have days like that
With the improvement in attack it meant they had more ball in hand and gained more territory it’s just unfortunate that Italy had the experience that they were able to capitalise on our mistakes.
Italy are a really established team and that experience carried them through, but this is something Ireland will really learn from.
In relation to their defense, the first day against France they did well and they built on it. The attack against Italy did well and now they'll learn from it and they'll learn when to went to pull the trigger, when to pass, when to offload. If the players are free, if it's the front door or if it's a back door option. On Saturday against Wales they will bring it to the next level again.
We need to look back before we can go forward and if losing to Italy is a bad outcome from an Irish perspective then look at where they were last year.
All you can look for is improvements you can't make them into England overnight. Ireland seem really confident. They've got a really good culture going on and they get on with each other. They’re building on confidence and building on sticking to the game plan and they're all on the same sheet which is really great to see.
They'll be really disappointed looking back at the game given how they played I think they deserved a win with the opportunities they created.
But if you look at the game as a whole they really are not that far off and another day they could have been 14 points ahead.
They'll still be positive though especially around the fact that they created opportunities. But from a players point of view the girls will be critical of themselves and they’ll expect more of themselves.
But the Italy match showed us the game plan is working. I think it’ll instill a confidence in the girls that they are capable of putting up to Italy and give them yet another boost as they move forward to the Welsh match on Saturday.
A welcome return
Another added boost that the girls got this week is the addition of veteran hooker Cliodhna Moloney.
Personally I think she’s a great addition. She has loads of experience and looking at the team hooker is the one position we are a little inexperienced in. We’ve got Neve Jones who is playing fantastically, but after her were are starting to look a little light so that experience Cliodhna brings in this position is needed. If you look at the squad as it stands, Sarah Delaney is carrying a shoulder niggle and after that you have Maeve Óg who is training up as a hooker having previously played back-row so this addition has come at the perfect time.
From what I’ve heard she’s playing fantastic for Exeter and she’s getting the opportunity to play against those Premiership girls week in week out and impressing so she’s only going to add to the squad.
What Cliodhna will bring around the park with her throwing being so consistent, it will put Ireland under less pressure at line out. She also has the precision to hit the back as well, creating another option off the line out and that then it will make it harder for the opposing pack to read where it is going instead of just hitting the front, it is now opening up that tail option for us.
Cliodhna is such a great addition especially as we head into Wales who are in the same position we are with two losses from two. I know I said this about the Italy game, but with the experience of Moloney along with Sam Monaghan, who made such a difference last weekend on her return, I really think that that first win is really starting to come into view.
My hope is that Wales will be the start of the next step.
