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Ireland Women Achieve Thrilling Victory Over New Zealand in WXV1 Opener
Last Updated: 30/09/24 8:00am
In an electrifying match, Ireland’s women’s rugby team stunned the world champions New Zealand with a narrow 29-27 victory in their WXV1 opening game held in Vancouver.
With time running out, Erin King scored her second try, drawing the match level. Dannah O’Brien then stepped up and successfully converted the try, securing a remarkable upset for Ireland.
Despite having the majority of possession, New Zealand faced a challenging match, with three tries disallowed following video reviews (TMO). Ireland capitalized on its opportunities, culminating in an impressive five tries throughout the match.
The Black Ferns started strong, with hooker Atlanta Lolohea scoring first within nine minutes, which set the pace for a competitive encounter. Following this, Renee Holmes converted the try and later added a penalty after Ireland’s Aoife Wafer scored her inaugural try.
Wafer made another significant contribution, scoring again just before the half, and Neve Jones also crossed the line for Ireland, who surprisingly led 17-10 at halftime.
New Zealand fought back to equalize at the break, with wing Katelyn Vahaakolo scoring near the end of the first half and Holmes converting. Shortly after the break, Holmes pushed New Zealand into the lead again with a penalty kick.
Though New Zealand had a one-player advantage when Irish prop Niamh O’Dowd was sent to the sin-bin, they struggled to extend their lead. King’s first try brought Ireland back into contention. However, a crucial try from Mererangi Paul, with a following conversion from Holmes, seemed to give the Black Ferns a comfortable five-point advantage.
Refusing to give in, Ireland pressed into the final moments of the match. After sustained pressure, King crossed for her second try, enabling O’Brien’s decisive conversion that clinched the memorable victory for Ireland.
Ireland will look to build on this momentum in their next fixture against the host nation, Canada, scheduled for Saturday.
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