The IRFU wrapped several events around the game. Every player who has previously represented the Ireland 15s and Sevens women\u2019s teams had been invited to the match and in recognition of that status received a \u2018heritage cap\u2019, while the first Irish women\u2019s rugby team, who played against Scotland at Raeburn Place in Edinburgh on Valentine\u2019s Day, 1993 presented the jerseys to Sunday\u2019s matchday 23 in the Fitzpatrick Castle hotel on Saturday. <\/p>\n
The Aviva Stadium rocked to thumping tunes, while supporters providing colour and exuberance, noisily celebrating every little win. The team responded to their encouragement in the opening 40 minutes, all of which provided a wonderful backdrop to a memorable occasion \u2013 if you were Irish. <\/p>\n
A Scotland team decimated by injuries couldn\u2019t cope and were blown away, but they showed character and fortitude in the second half to mitigate the damage. <\/p>\n
Ireland did as they pleased in the first half, playing off the back of a dominant pack. Aoife Wafer was adjudged the player of the match, and she was superb, skittling tacklers and carrying way beyond the gainline. But she had great support from her pack, especially Brittany Hogan and captain Erin King, with the backrow chipping in with five of the eight tries. The pack, to a person, contributed handsomely.<\/p>\n
Eve Higgins punched numerous holes in the opening half an hour, Stacey Flood\u2019s distribution created space for others, while the Scots found Robyn O\u2019Connor unplayable at times. The halfbacks, Emily Lane and Dannah O\u2019Brien, ensured that the team played in the right places and with good tempo.<\/p>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/A2GPNJD3A5B45ABJCJNDAWGWOI.jpg\")
The Irish team drive over the line to allow Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald score a try. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n
The Green Wave, as the team refer to their supporters, celebrated the procession of tries Mexican style after 22 minutes, at which point Ireland led 26-0. It was an acknowledgment that the game as a contest was over, the only thing left to dispute, the final margin. <\/p>\n
The home side weren\u2019t flattered, if anything they could have tagged on a few more tries with a little more composure and clarity, or if referee Aur\u00e9lie Griozeleau had opted to police the breakdown and offside line with greater rigour. <\/p>\n
It was merciful relief for the Scots that they didn\u2019t because by the time the interval arrived, Ireland had stockpiled 47 points without reply; Wafer (two), Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald, Hogan, King, O\u2019Connor and Flood crossing for tries, while O\u2019Brien kicked six conversions.<\/p>\n
The home side was dominant everywhere, in the scrum, the lineout, the maul, the collisions, had a superior kicking game and a cutting edge in the midfield and wider channels. The only thing that prevented the Scots from getting even more of a shellacking was some gutsy tackling and Ireland\u2019s penchant to get a little narrow, and overplay, rather than pushing the ball to space. <\/p>\n
The Ireland of the first half never returned. There were mitigating factors. A thunderous shower of rain made handling more challenging but the cohesion of the first half, the dynamism of the team patterns dissipated, replaced by individual sallies. To their credit the Scots managed to stick more of their tackles.<\/p>\n
The third quarter, a mishmash of mistakes, almost came and went without a score, but Hogan\u2019s second try, another close-range finish, enlivened a crowd only too willing to cheer anything positive. Scott Bemand brought on six of the bench in one fell swoop, looking for impact and impetus in the game and on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n
![\"Ireland's](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/SA3IAGMSG3HKBWB54NZLSSAFZA.jpg\")
Ireland’s Stacey Flood celebrates with team-mates after scoring a try. Photograph: Ben Brady\/Inpho <\/p>\n
There was probably one statistic that summed up the afternoon. Ireland had managed 22 entries into their opponents\u2019 22; Scotland, none until the 76th minute. The Scots, on the back of a series of penalties, the last of which saw Ireland lose Ruth Campbell sent to the sin bin, had the final say, with a try for replacement Aicha Sutcliffe.<\/p>\n
It was a fitting epitaph for doughty Scottish resistance in a second half which they lost 7-5 on the scoreboard. <\/p>\n
It didn\u2019t dampen the occasion for the Green Wave, many of whom stayed around to serenade the team as they accepted the Siobhan Cattigan trophy, named in honour Scotland international who sadly passed away in 2021 at the age of 26, and for which the countries will compete from this day on. It was Ireland\u2019s day.<\/p>\n
SCORING SEQUENCE \u2013 4 mins: Moloney-MacDonald try, O\u2019Brien con, 7-0; 8: O\u2019Connor try, O\u2019Brien con, 14-0; 13: Hogan try, O\u2019Brien con, 21-0; 18: King try, 26-0; 29: Wafer try, O\u2019Brien con, 33-0; 35: Flood try, O\u2019Brien con, 40-0; 38: Wafer try, O\u2019Brien con, 47-0. Half-time: 47-0. 60: Hogan try, O\u2019Brien con, 54-0; 80 (+5): Sutcliffe try, 54-5.<\/p>\n
IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Leinster); B\u00e9ibhinn Parsons (Connacht). Aoife Dalton (Leinster), Eve Higgins (Leinster), Robyn O\u2019Connor (Leinster); Dannah O\u2019Brien (Leinster), Emily Lane (Munster); Ellena Perry (Gloucester-Hartpury, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Exeter Chiefs), Linda Djougang (Leinster); Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury), Fiona Tuite (Ulster); Brittany Hogan (Sale Sharks), Erin King (Leinster, capt), Aoife Wafer (Harlequins). <\/p>\n
Replacements: Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury) for Moloney-MacDonald, Sadhbh McGrath (Ulster) for Perry, Eil\u00eds Cahill (Munster) for Djougang, Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs) for Monaghan, Ruth Campbell (Leinster) for Tuite, Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Leinster) for O\u2019Connor (all 49 mins); Niamh Gallagher (Trailfinders Women) for Parsons, Katie Whelan (Leinster) for Lane (both 60). <\/p>\n
Yellow card: R Campbell (80+3 mins). <\/p>\n
SCOTLAND: Chloe Rollie (Toulon Provence M\u00e9diterran\u00e9e); Rhona Lloyd (Sale Sharks), Rachel Philipps (Sale Sharks), Meryl Smith (Bristol Bears), Shona Campbell (Sale Sharks); Helen Nelson (Loughborough, capt), Leia Brebner-Holden (Loughborough); Leah Bartlett (Sale Sharks), Elis Martin (Loughborough), Elliann Clarke (Bristol Bears); Emma Wassell (Trailfinders Women), Louise McMillan (Saracens); Becky Boyd (Loughborough), Eva Donaldson (Sale Sharks), Emily Coubrough (Glasgow Warriors).<\/p>\n
Replacements: Lucia Scott (Loughborough) for Smith (HIA, 4 mins); Holland Bogan (Glasgow Warriors) for Boyd (50); Aicha Sutcliffe (Glasgow Warriors) for Martin, Demi Swann (Exeter Chiefs) for Bartlett, Coreen Grant (Harlequins) for Rollie (all 54); Rhea Clarke (Bristol Bears) for Brebner-Holden (63); Hollie Cunningham (Bristol Bears) for McMillan (66); Molly Poolman (Edinburgh) for Clarke (74). <\/p>\n
Referee: Aur\u00e9lie Griozeleau (France).<\/p>\n
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