Parsons And Murphy Crowe Pick Up Tries In Vital Ireland Win

A try apiece from wingers Beibhinn Parsons and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe guided Ireland to a crucial 15-7 win over hosts Italy in the Rugby World Cup 2021 Europe Qualifier in Parma.

RUGBY WORLD CUP 2021 EUROPE QUALIFIER – ROUND 2: Sunday, September 19

ITALY WOMEN 7 IRELAND WOMEN 15, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Scorers: Italy Women: Try: Beatrice Rigoni; Con: Michele Sillari
Ireland Women: Tries: Beibhinn Parsons, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe; Con: Stacey Flood; Pen: Stacey Flood
HT: Italy Women 0 Ireland Women 5

Match Photo Gallery: Italy 7 Ireland 15

Ballinasloe teenager Parsons was once more a shining light for Ireland, grabbing her seventh international score and showing her evasion skills in the lead up to Murphy Crowe’s 62nd-minute effort.

Ireland’s ultra-physical defence kept a frustrated Italy scoreless, as Parsons’ 29th-minute try – following a surging lineout maul – made it 5-0 for half-time.

Italy, who were riding high after beating Scotland 38-13, took advantage of Eimear Considine’s yellow card to release Beatrice Rigoni for a converted effort.

However, Adam Griggs’ side got the result that keeps their World Cup qualification hopes alive, thanks to a Stacey Flood penalty and a fine finish out wide from Murphy Crowe.

It is now extremely tight at the top of the table with all four teams on five points. Points difference separates them, with Italy (+17) in first place, closely followed by Ireland (+7), Spain (-4) and Scotland (-20).

Scotland also rebounded from an opening round defeat, edging out Spain 27-22 in a thrilling contest. In next Saturday’s final round, Italy play Spain before Ireland renew rivalries with the Scots (kick-off 5pm Irish time).

An early Cliodhna Moloney turnover offered Ireland encouragement, with Linda Djougang also getting a chance to stretch her legs after gobbling up some loose Italian possession.

The swarming Irish defence ensured Italy were kept at arm’s length inside the opening quarter, but just when Ireland were in position to strike, the worryingly-inconsistent lineout let them down.

With loosehead Laura Feely soon singled out, Ireland also conceded a couple of concering scrum penalties. Yet, captain Ciara Griffin responded brilliantly at the breakdown, getting over the ball to win back vital ball.

Winger Parsons threatened midway through the first half, gaining good ground up to the Italian 22. Ireland’s attack clicked again soon after, setting up a penalty which Flood missed, hitting the right hand post.

The pressure remained on territory-starved Italy, though, and a dominant lineout drive did the damage for Ireland. Quick ball was fed wide by the half-backs for Parsons to finish off on the left. Flood missed the difficult conversion.

Italy’s forwards came charging back, giving Ireland a taste of their own medicine. However, Griffin produced a try-saving tackle on Lucia Gai and then Elisa Giordano was bundled into touch, by Moloney and Kathryn Dane, near the right corner.

Flood, who broke from deep before the interval, was heavily involved on the restart, directing play and hitting a number of rucks.

Tighthead Djougang made a barnstorming run up into the 22, but lacked support and Italy held out. Ireland’s accuracy had notably improved from last Monday, yet the mistakes continued to come.

Despite Considine’s sin-binning for tackling Michela Sillari high, Ireland backed their defence again with the very effective Eve Higgins forcing a turnover penalty.

The centre followed up with some more good work at the breakdown, only for Italy to continue to look threatening on the counter and they made it count in the 51st minute.

A rather aimless kick from Murphy Crowe was ruthlessly punished, the hosts’ pacy back-three spearheading a break down the left and Rigoni cut inside Dane’s tackle to make the line.

Rigoni’s centre partner, Michele Sillari, tagged on a terrific conversion from wide on the left, much to the delight of the vocal home crowd.

Rigoni, though, went from hero to villain when her deliberate knock-on landed her in the bin, less than five minutes later.

Although Ireland made a mess of a subsequent lineout opportunity, they won a close-in penalty soon after and Flood took the points on offer, moving her side back in front at 8-7.

Ireland’s wingers then took centre stage, Parsons piercing through past six defenders on a tremendous solo run from inside her own half.

Quick ball was ferried out to the right where Murphy Crowe had the pace to score. Flood’s conversion suddenly made it an eight-point cushion.

Ireland’s tails were most definitely up, Murphy Crowe retrieving a kick towards the right touchline. The forwards, particularly Djougang, were finding more holes around the fringes with Rigoni still off the field.

Ireland needed better ball protection at times, as Italy absorbed sniping runs from Higgins, Sene Naoupu and replacement Emily Lane and picked off turnovers on the deck.

There were more tries on offer for Griggs’ charges – with every score so important in this round-robin competition – but the lineout malfunctioned 10 metres out from the whitewash, followed by further turnovers.

Sam Monaghan’s energy-lifting tackle on Aura Muzzo, coupled with the impact of the Irish bench, kept them in good stead as the final whistle loomed.

Although they saw less of the ball late on, Ireland’s impressive maul defence earned them a scrum. The green wall was solidified and denying Italy a losing bonus point could prove hugely important.

TIME LINE: 25 minutes – Ireland penalty: missed by Stacey Flood – 0-0; 29 mins – Ireland try: Beibhinn Parsons – 0-5; conversion: missed by Stacey Flood – 0-5; Half-time – Italy 0 Ireland 5; 47 mins – Ireland yellow card: Eimear Considine; 51 mins – Italy try: Beatrice Rigoni – 5-5; conversion: Michele Sillari – 7-5; 56 mins – Italy yellow card: Beatrice Rigoni; 58 mins – Ireland penalty: Stacey Flood – 7-8; 62 mins – Ireland try: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe – 7-13; conversion: Stacey Flood – 7-15; Full-time – Italy 7 Ireland 15

ITALY WOMEN: Vittoria Ostuni Minuzzi (Valsugana Rugby Padova); Manuela Furlan (Arredissima Villorba) (capt), Michela Sillari (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Beatrice Rigoni (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Maria Magatti (CUS Milano); Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno), Sara Barattin (Arredissima Villorba); Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Melissa Bettoni (Stade Rennais), Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain), Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Ilaria Arrighetti (Stade Rennais), Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Romagnat), Elisa Giordano (Valsugana Rugby Padova).

Replacements used: Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Bettoni (66 mins), Giada Franco (Rugby Colorno) for Arrighetti (67), Aura Muzzo (Arredissima Villorba) for Ostuni Minuzzi (73), Alyssa D’Incá (Arredissima Villorba) for Sillari, Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Barattin, Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Monza 1949) for Sgorbini (all 76). Not used: Michela Merlo (Rugby Colorno), Sara Seye (Rugby Calvisano).

IRELAND WOMEN: Eimear Considine (UL Bohemians/Munster); Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster), Sene Naoupu (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Beibhinn Parsons (Ballinasloe/Blackrock College/Connacht); Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster), Kathryn Dane (Old Belvedere/Ulster); Laura Feely (Blackrock College/Connacht), Cliodhna Moloney (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Blackrock College/Connacht), Sam Monaghan (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College/Munster), Edel McMahon (Wasps/IQ Rugby), Ciara Griffin (UL Bohemians/Munster) (capt).

Replacements used: Lindsay Peat (Railway Union/Leinster) for Feely (54 mins), Claire Molloy (Wasps/IQ Rugby) for McMahon (58), Emily Lane (Blackrock College/Munster) for Dane (65), Brittany Hogan (DCU/Old Belvedere/Ulster) for Griffin (72), Enya Breen (UL Bohemians/Munster) for Flood (78). Not used: Neve Jones (Malone/Ulster), Leah Lyons (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby), Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby).

Referee: Hollie Davidson (Scotland)