IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS side opened their New Zealand Sevens campiagn with a defeat to Canada but managed to respond with a win over Spain overnight.
Anthony Eddy’s side went down 26-21 to the Canadians first time out.
But he later saw his outfit record a four-try victory over the Spanish — winning 28-17 — in Hamilton to keep their semi-final hopes alive. Foster Horan, Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy and Harry McNulty were the try scorers.
The pool will boil down to who performs best when Canada play Spain and France face Ireland in their final matches tomorrow before the play-offs.
Under the format, introduced for the New Zealand round and for Australia next weekend, quarter-finals have been scrapped, pool winners progress direct to the semi-finals and there is no longer a second chance for teams who slip up in pool play.
RESULTS
Men
Pool A
USA 24 Scotland 7
New Zealand 47 Wales 0
Scotland 24 Wales 19
New Zealand 26 USA 5
Pool B
Engand 24 Kenya 19
South Africa 31 Japan 5
Kenya 12 Japan 12
England 21 South Africa 19
Pool C
Canada 26 Ireland 21
France 21 Spain 17
Ireland 28 Spain 17
France 12 Canada 12
Pool D
Australia 38 Argentina 7
Fiji 19 Samoa 12
Fiji 19 Australia 12
Argentina 40 Samoa 0
Women
Pool A
Fiji 26 England 19
New Zealand 40 China 7
China 17 Fiji 12
New Zealand 40 England 7
Pool B
USA 19 Russia 12
Australia 24 Brazil 14
USA 34 Brazil 7
Australia 40 Russia 12
Pool C
France 31 Spain 7
Canada 24 Ireland 7
France 35 Ireland 7
Canada 35 Spain 5
