Ireland’s women started their season with an impressive six-try win over Australia in Belfast with back-row Aoife Wafer scoring a try in each half in a player of the match performance.
Three tries were scored in a frantic opening 13 minutes with Aoife Dalton’s early try cancelled out by Wallaroos’ winger Maya Stewart who scored again in the second half.
Wafer and Eimear Considine – who was back in Ireland’s 15s side for the first time in two years – put Ireland 17-5 ahead at half time.
Eve Higgins, Wafer and Cliodhna Moloney all scored tries for the home side in the fourth quarter in a dominant Irish display.
This was the latest evidence of the improvement Ireland are making under coach Scott Bemand.
They played with the confidence and swagger of a team unrecognisable from the side that claimed the Six Nations wooden spoon in 2023.