Ireland got their Guinness Six Nations campaign underway with a tough battle away to reigning champions, England.
The game set an attendance record for the tournament, with a record-breaking 77,120 fans in attendance at the Allianz Stadium.
Ireland have been in a period of transition with some positive performances and building solid foundations, no less their performance in the World Cup this past summer, but it was always going to be a big ask for the girls in green facing both the reigning World Cup and Six Nations Champions.
Facing England, a team on a 34-match winning streak, who have not lost a game in over 3 years since November 2022, when New Zealand defeated them in Eden Park.
Led by head coach Scott Bemand, it was Ireland’s first game since their narrow loss to France in the quarter-final of the World Cup in September.
It was always going to be a big occasion, with hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald making her 50th appearance in green, and also playing against her wife, England’s Claudia Moloney-MacDonald.
Ireland captained by 22-year-old Erin King were able to hold the hosts scoreless for the first ten minutes but then conceded three first half tries in just over 20 minutes; two tries from Sarah Bern and one from Amy Cockayne.
Ireland went in at half time 21-0 down and knew they had to make some changes to capitalise on the few opportunities they would get. However, England earned their bonus point try early on in the second half, and the score of 28-0 looked bleak for Ireland.
Half-time: England 21-0 Ireland
Sarah Bern bags a first-half brace as England enjoy an authoritative lead
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— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) April 11, 2026
Two second half tries were the only Irish scores of the game; one from Anna McGann and the other from captain Erin King in the dying stages. Ireland held out and did not let the hosts run away with it though, with the final score 33-12 to the home side.
A performance with lots to work on but one the team can be proud of and encouraged by. Holding the Red Roses to a score of just 33 is no easy feat. It is interesting to note that it was the lowest score they have been held to all season.
Speaking post-match, head coach Scott Bemand said “We’ve got four more games left in this competition. Ireland [men] lost their first game and were in it right until the last kick. So, we want to be in these competitions, to be in it…..Four more games to get our best out there and produce some results.”
Ireland’s next game in the Six Nations is this Saturday at home in the Dexcom Stadium in Galway against Italy at 17.40.