Ireland Women 15
Spain Women 13
NEVE JONES WAS Ireland’s matchwinner as they came from 10 points down in the final 20 minutes to dig out a narrow win against Spain and win the inaugural WXV3 title.
Two maul tries from Grace Moore and Jones in the final quarter guided Ireland to their first international silverware since the 2015 Six Nations success, as they made it three wins out of three in the Dubai desert heat.
Ireland were looking to round out their campaign with a 100% record having run up two comfortable wins against Kazakhstan and Colombia, scoring 27 tries and conceding none.
But they found themselves on the back foot inside just three minutes when co-captain Edel McMahon was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Cristina Blanco Herrera.
Spain made the most of their advantage and hit the front while Ireland were down to 14, centre Claudia Pena Hidalgo running in an intercept try with Amalia Argudo adding the extras for a 7-0 lead.
An Argudo penalty stretched Spain’s lead to 10 before Dannah O’Brien’s penalty opened the Irish account in the 35th minute.
The Irish pack started to get on top in the closing minutes of the first half, but Linda Djougang was shown a yellow card just before the break, and Ireland went in 13-3 down.
Las Leonas leaked penalties and the Irish maul took full advantage, with a brave call to turn down a kickable penalty resulting in hooker Jones’ match-winning effort.
One slip could have given Argudo a chance to kick Spain ahead in the dying embers, but replacement Eimear Corri stole a lineout to ensure Ireland closed out their first ever WXV campaign with a trophy.
It also means there will be three European teams playing in WXV2 next year, with regional qualifiers in 2024 to decide the identity of those sides. A higher finish than last season’s Six Nations should ensure that Bemand’s charges move up to WXV’s second division.
IRELAND: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (co-capt), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) (co-capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).
Replacements used: Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Scuffil-McCabe (45 mins), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for McMahon (47-53), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for McMahon (53), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Moore (67), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Behan (72), Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs) for Jones, Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Wall, McGrath for Haney (all 76). Not used: Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster).
SPAIN: Amalia Argudo; Claudia Pérez Pérez, Claudia Peña Hidalgo, Zahia Perez, Clara Piquero; Ines Bueso-Inchausti, Maider Aresti Felix; Ines Antolinez Fernandez, Cristina Blanco Herrera (capt), Laura Delgado, Anna Puig, Carmen Castellucci, Vico Gorrochategui Juste, Alba Capell, Maria Calvo.
Replacements used: Maria del Castillo for Antolinez Fernandez, Sidorella Bracic Rodriguez for Delgado (both 54 mins), Julia Castro for Aresti Felix, Tecla Masoko Bueriberi for Pérez Pérez, Nadina Cisa for Capell, Alba Vinuesa for Bueso-Inchausti (all 71), Maria Roman Mallen for Blanco Herrera (74). Not used: Beatriz Rivera.
Referee: Doriane Domenjo (France)