In a stunning display, Ireland Women secured their second WXV3 tournament victory by defeating Colombia 64-3 at The Sevens Stadium 2, Dubai.
Let’s dive into the match highlights and key moments.
Mastercard Player-of-the-Match: Neve Jones and Béibhinn Parsons Shine
– Neve Jones and Béibhinn Parsons stood out as the stars of the match, each scoring two tries, making them the key players of the game.
First-Half Domination: Ireland’s Six Tries
In the first half, Ireland showcased their dominance with six tries. The tries were scored by Neve Jones, Natasja Behan, Grace Moore, Méabh Deely, Brittany Hogan, and co-captain Edel McMahon.
Debut for Fiona Tuite and Clara Barrett
Fiona Tuite and Clara Barrett made their debuts, contributing to Ireland’s impressive performance.
An emotional debut for Fiona Tuite but one she enjoyed.#WXVRugby #IrishRugby pic.twitter.com/PML5NPkHBi
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 21, 2023
Colombia’s Response: Maria I. Arzuaga’s Penalty
Colombia managed to put points on the board with a penalty from Maria I. Arzuaga in the 62nd minute.
Parsons and Tarpey Seal the Victory
Béibhinn Parsons added her sixth try of the tournament, and Leah Tarpey scored her first international try, sealing Ireland’s convincing win.
O’Brien’s Involvement
Dannah O’Brien, starting at out-half, played a crucial role, adding conversions to Ireland’s tries and providing key assists.
Strong Defensive Pressure
Ireland’s first-up tackling and counter-rucking consistently forced Colombia to lose ground, showcasing their strong defensive performance.
Table-Topping Victory
With this second consecutive bonus-point victory, Ireland leads the WXV3 table with 10 points, setting up a title decider with Spain in the next round.
Looking Ahead to Spain Clash
The upcoming clash with Spain promises to be a thrilling encounter, with Ireland eager to avenge their narrow loss in the 2021 Rugby World Cup qualifier.
Thank You👏
Neve Jones & Grace Moore with a post-match message from Dubai…#WXVRugby #irishrugby pic.twitter.com/OA8W5YJzIl
— Irish Rugby (@IrishRugby) October 21, 2023
Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), 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:Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for Haney, Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Corri, Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Dalton (all 53 mins), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Reilly, Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) for O’Brien (both 61), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) for Hogan (62), Sarah Delaney (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster) for Jones, Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Djougang (both 70).
3 minutes – Ireland try: Neve Jones – 5-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 7-0; 11 mins – Ireland try: Natasja Behan – 12-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 12-0; 17 mins – Ireland try: Grace Moore – 17-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 17-0; 21 mins – Ireland try: Méabh Deely – 22-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 24-0; 25 mins – Ireland try: Brittany Hogan – 29-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 31-0; 38 mins – Ireland try: Edel McMahon – 36-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 38-0; Half-time – Ireland 38 Colombia 0; 42 mins – Ireland try: Béibhinn Parsons – 43-0; conversion: missed by Dannah O’Brien – 43-0; 51 mins – Ireland try: Neve Jones – 48-0; conversion: Dannah O’Brien – 50-0; 62 mins – Colombia penalty: Maria I. Arzuaga – 50-3; 69 mins – Ireland try: Béibhinn Parsons – 55-3; conversion: Méabh Deely – 57-3; 74 mins – Ireland try: Leah Tarpey – 62-3; conversion: Méabh Deely – 64-3; Full-time – Ireland 64 Colombia 3
