World Sevens – UCD Bowl
So after the weekend’s action at The UCD Bowl, the Ireland women’s 7s team have qualified for the World Series. After two days of quality action that saw 12 teams compete for two spots on the World circuit. Japan and Ireland are the two sides that will compete on the World circuit from the end of this year.
Ireland faced South Africa, Hong Kong and Mexico in Pool C on Saturday and after 2 big wins against Mexico and Hong Kong where they didn’t concede a point. They then went into the final game of the day looking to make it 3 wins from 3 at the end of day one.
South Africa of course were impressive in their opening two games winning both and setting up a winner takes all clash with Ireland and after a tight tense battle that saw South Africa sneak past Ireland on a 17-7 score line.
Ireland of course had home advantage and had terrific home support. The venue the UCD Bowl was also ideally suited to the two day event’s needs. The IRFU most also be commended for their running of the event. Two well run days and everything worked like clockwork.
Back to the action and Ireland began day two with a game against China and wanted to put to bed the events of the previous day and that defeat to South Africa.
They started day two full of purpose and intent and led ably by Messer’s Mulhall and Murphy. They were very strong in defence and China struggled to live with the intensity that the Irish brought to their duties in defence.
They were very aggressive and that laid the foundations for the 27-7 win that set up the Cup Semi Final and a repeat of the previous day’s game against South Africa.
Ireland went in 19-7 up at the break and they seemed to have learned from the last game against South Africa and like the game versus China earlier on in the day, this win was built on strong defence and being cleaver in attack.
Although South Africa did come back into the game, a late try from Ireland secured there place in the Cup Final and also a place on next season’s World 7s circuit alongside Japan.
Anthony Eddy and his squad created a small piece of history yesterday out in UCD and for that they should be incredibly proud. They can now enjoy a few days off before preparations will begin in earnest for their tilt at the World 7s circuit.
The Squad that created history yesterday was :
Audrey O Flynn
Jennifer Murphy
Stacey Flood
Hannah Tyrell
Amee Leigh Crowe
Ashleigh Baxter
Katie Fitzhenry
Claire Keohane
Lucy Mulhall
Claire Molloy
Louise Galvin
Alison Miller.
By
Cian Mc Gibney
24/08/2015.
