O'Brien, Byrne and Smyth enjoy a winning weekend
Ed Byrne celebrates with Jamie Osborne after he scored Leinster's opening try against the Lions. Photo: INPHO/Dan Sheridan
Dannah O’Brien scored eight points, kicking four of her five conversions, as Ireland beat Wales by 21 points on Saturday evening at a sunny Affidea Stadium in Belfast.
Ireland came into this Round 4 clash in the Women’s Six Nations off the back of that disappointing defeat away to France two weeks prior.
Scott Bemand’s side wasted little time in stamping their authority in the game, with Aoife Wafer crossing for an early try. Wales touched down for a try of their own midway through the first half, but Ireland responded with a try from Beibhinn Parsons after half an hour and another five-pointer on the stroke of half time from Brittany Hogan to leave the hosts up 19-7 at the interval.
Wafer made sure of the try bonus point with her second try and Ireland put the gloss on the scoreline when Hogan crossed for her second with the clock in the red.
Dannah O’Brien’s fourth and final conversion brought the game to a close, a fitting way to cap off yet another good performance in the Irish ten jersey. While the Carlow star has struggled to reach the level she achieved at last year’s World Cup, she continues to deliver the kind of solid performances that make her one of the most reliable fly halves in the sport.
Her ability to suck in the Welsh defence at the most opportune times while also inviting her backs onto the ball created a lot of space on the field for Ireland to try to exploit. Her kicking from hand and fielding of the ball remain strong attributes as she quarter-backs her team around the field.
Ireland’s most anticipated match of the campaign is this coming Sunday (2.30pm k/o), when they welcome Scotland to the Aviva Stadium, knowing a win will once again see them cement third place in the championship. The game holds huge significance as it will be the first ever standalone Women’s Six Nations game at the Dublin venue.
Leinster have taken a huge step towards securing a home quarter-final for the URC playoffs after they ran in five tries to beat fellow top-four hopefuls, the Lions, on Saturday evening in the Aviva.
Ed Byrne once again started in the front row as he continues to roll back the years for Leinster. He got through a mountain of work, making eight carries and five tackles before being replaced by Andrew Porter early in the second half.
The game had massive implications on seedings for the URC playoffs, with both Leinster and the Lions on 53 points before kick-off.
The win, coupled with Ulster's draw with the Stormers, means Leinster are now just one point behind the Stormers in the race for second place and only a further point off table toppers, Glasgow.
With just one week of fixtures remaining in the URC's round robin, the 'race for the eight' is as finely poised as it has ever been in the competition's history.
It culminates with Leinster at home to the Ospreys, who are already out of contention, while Glasgow travel to Ulster - themselves desperate to cling on to a playoff place - and the Stormers away to a Cardiff side in real danger of being overtaken by Connacht.
The Western province must win away to Edinburgh to have any hope of making the quarter-finals, while Munster battle the Lions with a home quarter-final still a possibility for both teams.
The latest crop of stars to emerge from the Leinster Academy were on show on Saturday afternoon as the province's seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of talent helped Leinster A to thump their Ulster counterparts.
The sides were in Energia Park, Donnybrook, as part of the IRFU Interprovincial ‘A’ Championship.
Leinster A Head Coach, Simon Broughton, named Stephen Smyth at hooker just weeks after the Carlow man signed his first senior contract with the province.
Leinster ran in seven tries in the first half to lead 45-7, and took their try tally into double-figures after the break, with Smyth crossing the whitewash off the back of a powerful driving maul as part of a remarkable 42-point win.
