LAST UPDATE | 2 Mar
IRELAND’S MEN’S TEAM defeated South Africa 17-0 but lost to Spain, before a tantalising Pool A clash with Argentina (11.07pm) at the Los Angeles Sevens.
The women’s side fell to two comprehensive losses at the hands of France and Australia, and face Japan next (12.18am).
For the men, a first-minute try from Conor O’Sullivan was followed by Ed Kelly’s conversion to give them momentum against South Africa.
A pair of quick-fire tries in the fourth and seventh minutes from Zac Ward handed them the dream start to the weekend. They followed it up with a 19-14 defeat to Spain however.
Converted tries from Chay Mullins and Jordan Conroy had Ireland in contention, but Spain finished strong and capitalised on second-half yellow cards to Conroy and Harry McNulty to prevail.
The women lost to Australia on a scoreline of 31-0, before a 21-5 defeat to high-flying France. The French started like a train with Anne-Cécile Ciofani and Camille Grassineau both crossing inside two minutes.
Eve Higgins responded on the 10-minute mark, but Ireland had a mountain to climb with Beibhinn Parsons in the sin-bin. Jade Ulutele closed the win out for France, who also beat Japan 35-7.
The Argentina men’s team, meanwhile, are chasing a fourth straight victory in the World Rugby SVNS Series and they launched their LA campaign with a 28-21 victory over the Spanish.
Leading off Pool A action, Argentina started strong with tries from Tobias Wade and Marcos Moneta to lead 14-0. Spain pulled level, however, with tries from Nico Nieto and Pol Pla.
Elsewhere on the opening day, Australia defeated Vancouver runners-up New Zealand 24-17, the host United States beat Samoa 31-12, and France — with a try from former World Rugby Player of the Year Antoine Dupont — thumped Canada 24-7.
Dupont, France’s regular 15-a-side captain and scrum-half who has switched to sevens in a bid for Olympic glory in Pairs, added a late try in France’s Pool C victory over Canada.
The French, coming off a third-place finish in Vancouver where Dupont made his debut in the series, had already taken the lead thanks to tries from William Iraguha and Stephen Parez.
“The fact that he is here pushes us to give our best,” Iraguha said of Dupont. “At his level, he already showed us last weekend what he could do, so all the better if we can all pull each other up like that.”
Fiji broke Great Britain’s hearts as a last-second score from Josese Batirerega lifted them to a 15-12 victory.
- Additional reporting from David Sneyd and Emma Duffy
