Ireland Women’s Rugby team defeat New Zealand in Vancouver

10 year’s on from Ireland women’s first ever victory over New Zealand at the 2014 World Cup, Scott Bemand’s side delivered an unforgettable performance in the early hours of the morning (Irish time) to defeat the Black Ferns 29-27 in their first game at the WXV1 tournament in Vancouver, Canada. Kilconly’s Cliodhna Moloney was the only Irish player to have played against New Zealand before when she lined out in 2016, and she would prove to be the match-winner as a cleverly taken short line-out by the Exeter Chiefs Hooker just two minutes from time helped to set up Erin King for a late try which was converted by Dannah O’Brien. Ireland were captained by Connacht’s Edel McMahon, with another Galway connection coming in the form of lock Fiona Tuite, whose mother Nora Clancy hails from Oughterard, and whose first cousin Matthew scored a famous goal for Galway in the 2001 All-Ireland football semi-final against Derry.

The sides were level at 17-17 after a thrilling first half. New Zealand led through an early try by hooker Atlanta Lolohea, but two close-range finishes by Ireland flanker Aoife Wafer and a third by Neve Jones (pictured) edged the Girls in Green 17-10 ahead, only for their opponents to finish the half on level terms thanks to a try by winger Katelyn Vahaakolo at the end of the half, with Renee Holmes adding the conversion. A penalty by Holmes put New Zealand ahead at the start of the second half, but replacement Erin King got in for the first of her two tries on 66 minutes to put the Irish back in front. Any thoughts of a shock result appeared to have been scuppered by New Zealand’s third try when Mererangi Paul rounded off a sweeping move 8 minutes from the end. Renee Holmes added the conversion for a five-point lead, but Ireland would not lie down and after relentless late pressure, King powered over for her second try to set up Dannah O’Brien’s match-winning  conversion.

IRELAND: Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC); Eimear Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Enya Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster); Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements used: Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC) for Dalton (10-23 mins), Clíodhna Moloney (Exeter Chiefs) for Jones, Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC) for McMahon, Higgins for Dalton, Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC) for Scuffil-McCabe (all 48), Siobhán McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury/Munster) for Tuite (53-63), Grace Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby) for Tuite (68). Not used: Andrea Stock (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC).

NEW ZEALAND: Renee Holmes (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato); Ruby Tui (Chiefs Manawa/Counties Manukau), Logo-i-Pulotu Lemapu-Atai’i (Sylvia) Brunt (Blues/Auckland), Amy du Plessis (Matatū/Canterbury), Katelyn Vahaakolo (Blues/Auckland); Ruahei Demant (Blues/Auckland) (co-capt), Maia Joseph (Matatū/Otago); Marcelle Parkes (Matatū/Canterbury), Atlanta Lolohea (Matatū/Canterbury), Amy Rule (Matatū/Canterbury), Chelsea Bremner (Chiefs Manawa/Canterbury), Maiakawanakaulani Roos (Blues/Auckland), Layla Sae (Hurricanes Poua/Manawatū), Kennedy Tukuafu (nee Simon) (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato) (co-capt), Liana Mikaele-Tu’u (Blues/Auckland).

Replacements used: Luka Connor (Chiefs Manawa/Bay of Plenty) for Lolohea, Chryss Viliko (Blues/Auckland) for Parkes, Tanya Kalounivale (Chiefs Manawa/Waikato) for Rule (all 44 mins), Alana Bremner (Matatū/Canterbury) for C Bremner, Lucy Jenkins (Matatū/Canterbury) for Tukuafu, Mererangi Paul (Chiefs Manawa/Counties Manukau) for Tui (all 51), Iritana Hohaia (Hurricanes Poua/Taranaki) for Joseph (56), Hannah King (Hurricanes Poua) for Demant (71).

Cover Photo courtesy of Irish Rugby website ©INPHO/Travis Prior