Ireland struggle to keep up with clinical Wales

Five-star Wales made a statement in the first game of the 2023 TikTok Women’s Six Nations. What looked set to be an even contest against Ireland proved to be a convincing win for Wales, who clinched the bonus point after just 32 minutes. Ad Professional contracts were first dished to Wales players on the eve of the 2022 Championship and judging by their performance in Round 1 this year, they may be starting to reap the rewards.

RugbySarah Hunter rounds off England career with thumping victoryAN HOUR AGO After a landmark day, which saw a new face stamp her mark on the Championship, here are five things we learned from Cardiff Arms Park. Welsh pack mean business The saying goes that forwards win matches and backs determine by how much and this was certainly true in Cardiff. Wales simply refused to allow Ireland to settle, knocking them off their stride at the set piece and in the loose.

Whether it was the pinpoint throwing of Kelsey Jones, the tireless work rate of Georgia Evans or the unstoppable carries from Sisilia Tuipulotu, Ireland had no answer. Even when the odd scrum failed to go to plan in the first half, the front row gathered for a quick meeting to discuss what had gone wrong, underlining the standards Ioan Cunningham is beginning to set. A tally of three tries directly from lineouts reflects the dominance of the Welsh pack on a day where they sent a message to their future opponents.

Captain fantastic Handed the captaincy at the World Cup, centre Hannah Jones is a leader in every sense for Wales. It’s easy to see why Cunningham elected Jones as his skipper, with the Gloucester-Hartpury star having been a fixture in the side since her debut in 2015. Her experience is evident on both sides of the ball and