Ireland face a battle to remain among the women's rugby international elite following a 31-15 defeat by Kazakstan at the European championships in Almeria in the south of Spain last night.

The well-drilled Eastern Europeans, who beat Ireland twice at the 1998 World Cup, concluded a hat trick of victories, although the Irish suffered from poor refereeing and a degree of misfortune.

An early penalty by flanker Rachel Reid gave Ireland the lead but Kazakstan went ahead with a 12th-minute try and added two more before the interval. Irish vice-captain Fiona Steed then set up a try for skipper Suzanne Fleming which Reid converted, before Kazakstan again breached the Irish defence.

Connacht outhalf Eleanor Flynn followed up her debut try against France on Monday by tapping a penalty and scything through from the 22 to touch down, but Kazakstan had the last word with a converted try from the final move of the match. Ireland now face a relegation play-off on Saturday which they must win to remain in the senior section for the next European championships.

Ireland: SJ Belton; F Neary, S Fleming (capt), R Jackson, R Boyd; E Flynn, R Howell; M Coulter, J Hanrahan, M Dolo; L Nolde, A M McAllister; R Reid, M O'Loughlin, F Steed. Replacements: L O'Callaghan for Flynn, C Quinn for Dolo.

Northampton, Munster's European Cup final opponents, received a considerable boost yesterday when their captain Pat Lam and England's skipper Matt Dawson declared themselves fit for Saturday's Tetley's Cup final against Wasps.

Lam and Dawson were forced to leave the field during last weekend's European Cup semi-final in Reading in an attempt to protect shoulder injuries but the influential pair have reassured their director of rugby John Steele they will be on parade at Twickenham.