France held off a second-half Eire fightback to assert a 27-15 victory within the
opening match of the 2025 Girls’s Six Nations in Belfast.
The guests led 17-5 on the interval following transformed tries from Gabrielle Vernier and Marine Menager however a Forty fifth-minute pink card for the previous gave Eire a manner again into the competition at Kingspan Stadium.
Eire shortly made their numerical benefit depend as Neve Jones and Aoife Wafer – along with her second strive of the match – helped cut back the deficit to 17-15, however that was as shut because the hosts would get and Emilie Boulard’s late rating in the end handed France victory.
Within the battle between the groups who completed second and third behind champions England final 12 months, runners-up France made their early strain depend when centre Vernier celebrated her fiftieth cap by barging over from shut vary.
France doubled their benefit when Morgane Bourgeois unselfishly slipped in Menager to assist make it 14-0 however Eire acquired themselves on the scoreboard when Wafer powered over within the twenty first minute.
A Morane Bourgeois penalty noticed Les Bleues lengthen their lead additional earlier than the break however the second-half dismissal of Vernier, who noticed a yellow card upgraded to pink for head contact on Eve Higgins, was capitalised on by Eire as Jones’ strive following a rolling maul lower the deficit to seven.
Eire arrange a grandstand end as Wafer punished France within the nook for her second strive of the match, however a late Bourgeois penalty and Boulard’s strive ended the house facet’s hopes.
Scotland battle previous Wales
Scotland opened their marketing campaign with a 24-21 victory over Wales on the Hive Stadium in Edinburgh.
Carys Phillips’ transformed strive within the fourth minute gave Wales – who completed backside of final season’s competitors – a flying begin to the brand new marketing campaign.
However Helen Nelson acquired Scotland on the board with a Sixteenth-minute penalty and he or she additionally transformed Sarah Bonar’s Thirty fifth-minute strive because the hosts rallied to enter the break main 10-7.
Emma Orr crossed three minutes after the break to increase Scotland’s lead, Nelson including the extras once more, earlier than Wales had been lowered to 14 gamers when quantity eight Georgia Evans was proven a pink card after receiving a second yellow for a excessive sort out.
Scotland’s numerical benefit lasted solely three minutes, nonetheless, after their quantity eight Evie Gallagher noticed her yellow card for a harmful clear-out upgraded to a pink following a overview.
Wales added two extra transformed tries by way of Abbie Fleming and Gwenllian Pyrs to maintain themselves in rivalry throughout a hard-fought second half, however Leah Bartlett dotted down in between them to make sure Scotland saved their noses in entrance.
Girls’s Six Nations fixtures/outcomes
Saturday March 22
Eire 15-27 France
Scotland 24-21 Wales
Sunday March 23
England vs Italy, 3pm
Saturday March 29
France vs Scotland, 1pm
Wales vs England, 4.45pm
Sunday March 30
Italy vs Eire, 3pm
Saturday April 12
France vs Wales, 12.45pm
Eire vs England, 4.45pm
Sunday April 13
Scotland vs Italy, 3pm
Saturday April 19
Italy vs France, 1pm
England vs Scotland, 4.45pm
Sunday April 20
Wales vs Eire, 3pm
Saturday April 26
Italy vs Wales, 12.15pm
Scotland vs Eire, 2.30pm
England vs France, 4.45pm
