Tackle technique always part of training - O'Connor

Ireland's tackling technique cost them dearly last week but it hasn’t been a special focus of attention ahead of their final TikTok Women’s Six Nations match against Scotland, says Hannah O'Connor.

Dorothy Wall and Sene Naoupu were both sent off for high challenges, with both England players on the receiving end needing head injury assessments.

Wall was sin-binned after a clash of heads with Jess Breach, while Naoupu was sent off for a high tackle on Emily Scarratt. The sanction was downgraded to yellow on appeal.

During the almost 25 minutes that Ireland were reduced to 14 players, England ran in six of their 11 tries from the 69-0 mauling.

O’Connor (below) was sent off in last November's win over Japan for a dangerous tackle, while in the last meeting between Saturday’s opponents and Ireland – the World Cup qualifying loss to Scotland in Parma, two Irish players were sin-binned.

"It’s an element of our training that we would implement every week and this week was no different," number 8 O’Connor told RTÉ Sport.

"We have our sections where we focus on breakdown and tackle tech. It’s very much the same.

"The beauty of it is it’s a coaching and player-led set-up where you can pick people’s brains, go through clips, review, preview, see where you can improve as a player.

"It’s an unfortunate thing when it happens wrong in a game but you are quick to kind of jump on it in the review."

The issue has been a hot topic over the last number of months but players across both the men’s and women’s game are still unsure as to why lessons are not being learned.

"It’s not my area of expertise," added the Blackrock College forward, who will win her 12th cap in Belfast on Saturday.

"As a player, I’m still trying to improve and develop my game.