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Testing Conditions make Six Nations win sweeter for Moloney

Irish hooker Cliodhna Moloney said conditions at Energia Park in Donnybrook this Sunday afternoon...



Irish hooker Cliodhna Moloney said conditions at Energia Park in Donnybrook this Sunday afternoon were some of the worst she's ever played in. 

Adam Griggs' side recorded back-to-back victories in this year's Six Nations campaign with a 31-12 win over Wales.

A penalty try with Beibhinn Parsons, Cliodhna Maloney, Lauren Delaney and Linda Djougang all going over the line saw the hosts secure a bonus point and sit top of the table.

They now face England in Twickenham in two weeks' time.

Speaking to Off the Ball at full-time, Moloney said that it was an important win in tough circumstances.

"It was touch and go for a while and the weather came down on top of us and stuff like that. We did make our mistakes but I think it was more about how we came back from them and how we dealt with them and the weather but absolutely delighted.

"The wind was annoying but we could deal with that but when the hail and the driving rain came and people started to get cold balls and slippy, it tested all of our concentration, tested all of our phase play, tested everything we could think about - it was very difficult.

"I'm glad we have a week off next week too to just take a break and to take a break mentally from preparing for competitions but knowing we've got England the week after, we have a chance to recoup and get everything back together and organise ourselves, that'll be really important.

"We'll be in Dublin next weekend and we will train, we'll gather ourselves a little bit and get our ducks in a row for England because that will be a test, it's always a test at home or away."

The Irish side kept the Welsh scoreless until the stroke of half-time with an impressive defensive performance.

Moloney said this is a key element of their game that they've been looking to improve upon.

"Defence is something we've been working hard on. We've got a new defence coach in Kieran Hallett and he's been doing great things with us, it's all about process and we know if we stick to our process we know we'll end up coming out with results.

"I guess after that, where we've lacked clarity before is once we get inside the 22 we've got to drop the ball down and once we get into the scoring zone we've got to get scores on the board and we're able to do that now too, not every time, but we're getting there and it's important."

18-year-old Beibhinn Parsons scored her second try of the tournament today in as many games.

Moloney was full of praise for the youngster, who's still studying for her Leaving Certificate, and the other up and coming players who are competing for places.

"No problems [to her]. Not a fear in her. She's well able to go.

"She knows her rugby inside out, it's not cockiness, it's confidence that she knows her role and she's very good at what she does.

"She's a great little girl, there's a few of them there and a few more coming through at the moment. It drives us on, as the people who've been around a few years seeing younger girls coming in and ready to go off the mark."

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Cliodhna Moloney Irish Womens Rugby Six Nations