Ireland XV thumped by powerful England 'A' side at Thomond Park in international fixture

AN overpowered IRELAND XV side fell to a heavy 52-14 defeat to a rampant England 'A' side in their representative fixture at Thomond Park on Friday night.

On the back of Thursday evening's lacklustre display from Ireland in their Six Nations defeat to France in Paris, this was another heavy defeat for an Irish side.

A physically powerful, abrasive English side racked up eight tries in all to highlight the strength in depth they enjoy at present in international rugby.

The Ireland XV battled bravely, but ultimately only managed to score two tries in reply to their dominant, clinical opponents. The home side's endeavour was deserving of more scores but a couple of knock-ons, once after play was called back when a try was scored, scuppered their hopes of making it a closer affair on the scoreboard.

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Among those in attendance at the game was Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and members of his management team, Limerick man Paul O'Connell as well as John Fogarty and Andrew Goodman.

Munster’s Shane Daly, Dan Kelly, Fineen Wycherley and Brian Gleeson all started the international fixture, with hooker Diarmuid Barron among the replacements.

Leinster's Max Deegan captained an Ireland XV line-up that included six senior-capped internationals, as their Limerick-born head coach Cullie Tucker mixed some of the players involved in the 2025 summer tour with a batch of exciting emerging talent.

Alex Dombrandt and Harry Randall, with 37 Test caps between them, were the senior figures in the England ‘A’ squad selected by Mark Mapletoft. Exeter Chiefs flanker Ethan Roots captained the visitors from the back row.

It was visitors England 'A' who struck first, crossing for the gane's opening try in the 10th minute, with captain Ethan Roots, from Exeter Chiefs, driven over from close range following a quick tap off a free-kick following a 5-metre scrum.

It had taken a superb cover tackle from Shane Daly on scrum-half Harry Randall to prevent England 'A' from scoring 60 seconds earlier. 

Out half Billy Searle also added the straight forward conversion to help the visitors into a 7-0 lead.

An abrasive England side were over for their second try nine minutes later when, following a well-executed maul, the ball was slipped out to Leicester outhalf Searle who glided over.

The play-maker was off target with his conversion attempt, but the visitors' lead was out to 12-0 as a steady drizzle fell on Thomond Park.

To their credit, crucially Ireland hit back with the next score of the contest after the visitors were pinged for poor discipline. From a tap penalty inside the visitors '22, number eight Brian Gleeson powered his way over the whitewash, with the assistance of Bryn Ward and captain Deegan, to get the Ireland XV side on the scoreboard.

Out-half Ciaran Frawley converted to cut Mark Mapletoft's side's lead to five points, 12-7, after 24 minutes.

However, the Ireland XV players were soon back behind their own posts once more as a physical England 'A' side struck for their third try. Execllent inter-play between backs and forwards took them deep within Ireland territory, with Randall and centre Orlando Bailey influential before winger Ollie Hassell-Collins was presented with a straight forward finish.

Searle missed the conversion, but suddnely the gap between the sides was out to 10 points as the home side struggled to contain with the visitors' physicality. 

A cohesive England side added a fourth try in the 36th minute through the ever dangerous Randall from close range with Searle converting to put singificant daylight between the sides at 24-7.

The see-saw nature of the scoring continued before half time when Ireland XV struck for their second try. The home side forced a turnover in midfield and when the ball was fly-hacked upfield it bounced invistingly into the arms of winger Joshua Kenny who showed a good turn of pace to score. 

Frawley's successful conversion left 10 points between the sides at the change of ends, 24-14.

Within four minutes of the restart, however, the England 'A' side had their fifth try of the game and were once again in the ascendancy.

The visitors made their numerical advantage tell after second-row Fineen Wycherley was yellow-carded with prop George Kloska dotting down. Searle added the extra two points to make it 31-14 in favour of England 'A'.

Hassell-Collins added a sixth try for the visitors who powered into a 38-14 lead with Searle kicking his fourth conversion of the game.

Replacement Cathal Forde thought he was in for the home side's third try soon after only for the score to be chalked off due to a knock-on in the lead up. 

A clincial England side had their sixth try of the game shortly after the hour mark as winger Cadan Murley dotted down in the right corner. Searly again dissected the uprights with the conversion attemt as the visitors lead stretched to a substantial 31 points.

England 'A' also had time to add an eighth try from Ethan Roots before the full time whistle sounded to bring up a half century of points.

SCORERS: Ireland XV: Brian Gleeson, Joshua Kenny try each, Ciaran Frawley two cons. England 'A': Ollie Hassell-Collins, Ethan Roots two tries each, Billy Searle try, five cons, Harry Randall, George Kloska, Cadan Murley, try each, Charlie Atkinson con.

IRELAND XV: Shane Daly (Munster); Joshua Kenny (Leinster), James Hume (Ulster), Dan Kelly (Munster), Zac Ward (Ulster); Ciarán Frawley (Leinster), Fintan Gunne (Leinster); Billy Bohan (Connacht), Gus McCarthy (Leinster), Scott Wilson (Ulster), Charlie Irvine (Ulster), Fineen Wycherley (Munster), Max Deegan (Leinster) (capt), Bryn Ward (Ulster), Brian Gleeson (Munster). Replacements: Jack Aungier (Connacht) for Wilson, Sean Jansen (Connacht) for Gleeson (both 47 mins), Matthew Devine (Connacht) for Gunne, Cathal Forde (Connacht) for Kelly, Harry Sheridan (Ulster) for Wycherley (all 52 mins), Diarmuid Barron (Munster) for McCarthy, Sam Crean (Ulster) for Bohan (both 58 mins), Jack Murphy (Ulster) for Frawley (64 mins), Scott Wilson for Aungier (70 mins).

ENGLAND ‘A’: Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks); Cadan Murley (Harlequins), Luke Northmore (Harlequins), Orlando Bailey (Leicester Tigers), Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers); Billy Searle (Leicester Tigers), Harry Randall (Bristol Bears); Tarek Haffar (Leicester Tigers), Jamie Blamire (Leicester Tigers), George Kloska (Bristol Bears), Ben Bamber (Sale Sharks), Joe Batley (Bristol Bears), Ethan Roots (Exeter Chiefs) (capt), Jack Kenningham (Harlequins), Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins). Replacements: Afolabi Fasogbon (Gloucester) for Kloska, Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks) for Randall (both 47 mins), Archie van der Flier (Leicester Tigers) for Haffar (56 mins), Fitz Harding (Bristol Bears) for Kenningham (60 mins), Kepueli Tuipulotu (Bath) for Blamire, George Hendy (Northampton Saints) for Northmore (64 mins), Hugh Tizard (Saracens) for Bamber (both 65mins), Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester) for Searle (69 mins).

REFEREE: Benoit Rousselet (France)