Juggling challenges no issue for Fitzhenry
IN the space of a week at the end of January, Katie Fitzhenry went from playing in 30-degree heat in Sydney to freezing conditions in Dublin — such is life when you are double-jobbing between sevens and 15s.
Sevens is on the back burner as Fitzhenry shifts her focus to Ireland’s Six Nations campaign, and her return against Italy a fortnight ago brought a new edge to the back-line.
Contracted to the full-time sevens programme, the Wexford native is re-adjusting to the bigger code and the challenges that come with that.
The squad reconvened in Dublin yesterday morning and went through their one pitch session of the week in Donnybrook before the captain’s run today.
It’s a limited timeframe in which to fine-tune the gameplan ahead of the clash against Wales tomorrow, and that poses difficulties.
“No, I don’t think of it like that,” Fitzhenry explained. “It’d be great to have more sessions within the week but that’s not how it is or how it can be, so for me it’s good to just come and get this session at a high intensity.
“We’re all working well together and as long as that happens we’re in a good place.
“I came in quite late to the set- up so training weeks and stuff have changed for me. Things have been slightly different but juggling it has been fine.
“We both play rugby in the sevens and 15s, so for me it’s been quite an easy transition. The space seems to narrow up a lot in the 15s, but you get used to that fairly rapidly.”
After a poor start in France, Ireland bounced back against Italy but will have to be better against Wales tomorrow (3pm). IRELAND WOMEN: K Flood; M Williams, K Fitzhenry, S Naoupu, C McLaughlin; N Briggs, A Hughes; L Peat, C O’Connor, L Lyons; O Fitzsimons, N Fryday; C Griffin (capt), C Molloy, P Fitzpatrick. Reps: C Moloney, L Feely, F Reidy, A McDermott, E McMahon, N Cronin, M Claffey, H Tyrrell. DARKNESS descended upon Donnybrook as the floodlights briefly failed before kick-off, and come full-time, the lights went out on Ireland’s Six Nations bid.
Defeat in France in round one left no wriggle room, but Ireland’s error count was too high and they lost against Wales.
As Joe Schmidt looked on, two second-half tries from man of the match Jack O’Sullivan were not enough as Wales clung on to win.
Ireland were slow out of the traps and Wales took advantage as they raced into a 12-0 lead.
Thomas Rogers and Max Williams crossed, with Cai Evans converting the second try.
A Harry Byrne penalty put his side on the board after 15 minutes, but another sloppy error was punished when Wales counter-attacked from their own ‘22’, with James Botham burrowing his way over. Evans added the extras to push Wales into a 19-3 lead but Ireland fought back.
Angus Curtis got over and Byrne converted to cut the halftime deficit to nine points.
But Ireland’s work was undone after the restart when Wales got the bonus try through Tommy Reffell. Evans’ extras left the Irish 26-10 behind.
O’Sullivan showed his class when he powered away from a couple of tacklers to score. Byrne quickly drop-kicked the conversion but hopes were quickly dampened as an Irish overthrow allowed Botham over for his second try to stretch the lead (31-17).
O’Sullivan hit back with his second try and Byrne again converted, but Wales responded with a sixth try, this time through Callum Carson. Evans’ conversion left Wales 38-24 to the good.
Ireland got a try-scoring bonus point when Stewart crept over for another converted try with 14 minutes left. Evans looked to have made sure of the win with a 71st-minute penalty but a try from Tommy O’Brien, converted by Stewart, kept Ireland in it.
The hosts launched one final attempt but had no joy.