Brython Thunder went down to a 94-7 defeat to Irish powerhouse Clovers in Round 8 of the Celtic Challenge at Parc y Scarlets on Saturday morning.
The Irish side proved too strong for a young and inexperienced Welsh side and underlined why the two sides across the Irish Sea have dominated the competition.
The Thunder were without inspirational captain Natalia John, who was ruled out because of injury with Katie Carr named as skipper. Lock Catrin Jones crossed for a try on her Thunder debut in the second half.
Thunder came into this contest on the back of a first win in the Celtic Challenge at the same venue against Edinburgh in the previous round. The Irish side came to Wales with a side full of Irish internationals and second in the table.
Clovers opened the scoring with their first try by flanker Faith Oviawe who raced in from halfway. Fly-half Caitriona Finn converted. The Irish side demonstrated their forward power when they scored their second try by lock Jane Neill to make it 12-0 after five minutes.
Prop Grainne Burke crossed for a third try with the Thunder pack struggling against the power of the Irish side’s eight. Finn added the extras to make it 19-0 after 10 minutes. Wing and captain Amee Leigh Costigan crossed for the fourth and bonus-point try and hooker Emily Gavin scored Clovers fifth to make it 29-0 midway through the first half.
Further Clovers tries by scrum-half Emily Lane, flanker Brianna Heylmann, centre Anna McGann and a penalty try kept the scoreboard ticking over. Thunder scrum-half Seren Singleton was shown a yellow card and was held up over the Clovers line before the Irish side went in 51-0 ahead at half-time.
After the break, prop Saoirse Crowe, hooker Emily Gavin, scrum-half Grainne Moran, skipper Costigan, Beth Buttimer, McGann and Oviawe all crossed for tries for the visitors.
Thunder did manage to get on the scoreboard thanks to a try by second row Jones after a period of pressure midway through the half. Fly-half Hanna Marshall added the extras.