Ireland 19-14 USA
New Zealand 21-14 Ireland
THE IRELAND WOMEN’S sevens team resumed their HSBC SVNS campaign with a couple of strong showings against higher-ranked opposition in Perth, earning a victory over the USA and picking up a losing bonus point against New Zealand.
On what is the first time that the Women’s Series has staged an Australian leg outside of Sydney, Alan Temple-Jones’ Ireland got off to the perfect start against the States as Megan Burns ran home a 12th-minute clincher in a 19-14 success.
The USA took an early 7-0 lead through a try by Ilona Maher, converted by Kayla Cannett, but the influential Burns then sent Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe clear from just outside her 22′ to level the scores with the help of kicker Lucy Mulhall.
Ireland’s defensive pressure then forced a scrum from which Murphy-Crowe again showed her wheels, with Mulhall again on target to give Ireland a 14-7 lead at the break.
The sixth-ranked Eagles leveled through a try by Jaz Gray, again converted by Cannett, but Ireland had the final say off a lineout strike play as Erin King linked with Emily Lane before Burns capitalised on a slip by Alex Sedrick to take one to the house from just outside the American 10′.
Mulhall was off target with her conversion but King denied the desperate Americans any further entry points, first forcing a knock-on from the restart and then earning the game-clinching penalty at the breakdown to end Ireland’s six-match losing streak against the same opposition.
Next up in the searing Perth heat were the third-seeded Black Ferns, winners of the last three Sydney Sevens. Ireland, however, made a fast start as Mulhall created an overlap for Burns and Murphy-Crowe to combine, the latter stepping inside Michaela Blyde to waltz in under the sticks. Mulhall made it 7-0.
New Zealand leveled quickly through Stacey Waaka, who darted through a gap and left an easy equaliser for Tyla King.
The Kiwis then asserted territorial dominance which led to Jorja Miller exposing some tired Irish defence for a 14-7 lead, with King’s conversion again on the money.
Teenager Miller took the game away from Ireland with her second, evading King and Murphy-Crowe before King stretched the Kiwi lead to 14.
Aoibheann Reilly, however, crossed to bring Ireland back to within a score before Blyde gathered the restart and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe kicked the ball dead for full-time.
The losing BP means that Ireland sit level on four points with the USA in Pool C ahead of tomorrow morning’s clash with bottom side Japan (2:44am Friday night/Saturday morning Irish time).
The Japanese lost 29-5 to leaders New Zealand and 33-5 to the USA, and Allan Temple-Jones’ side will be hope for a similar outcome as they look to qualify for their third successive Cup quarter-final of 2023/24.
Ireland 19-14 USA, HBF Park
Scorers: USA: Tries: Kristie Kirshe, Jaz Gray; Cons: Kayla Canett 2
Ireland: Tries: Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe 2, Megan Burns; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 2
Team: Béibhinn Parsons, Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Megan Burns, Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe.
Replacements used: Erin King. Not used: Kate Farrell-McCabe, Aoibheann Reilly, Lucinda Kinghan, Vicky Elmes-Kinlan.
New Zealand 21-14 Ireland, HBF Park
Scorers: New Zealand: Tries: Stacey Waaka, Jorja Miller 2; Cons: Tyla King 3
Ireland: Tries: Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe, Aoibheann Reilly; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 2
Team: Béibhinn Parsons, Stacey Flood, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Megan Burns, Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe.
Replacements used: Erin King, Aoibheann Reilly, Vicky Elmes-Kinlan, Lucinda Kinghan, Kate Farrell-McCabe.
Ireland squad
- Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
- Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union RFC)
- Alanna Fitzpatrick (Portarlington RFC/Blackrock College RFC)
- Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
- Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
- Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
- Lucinda Kinghan (Railway Union RFC)
- Vicky Elmes-Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
- Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
- Kate Farrell-McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
- Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC) (capt)
- Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
- Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC)
- Vikki Wall (Ireland Sevens)
