The Ireland Men's Sevens players celebrate with their silver medals at the Stade Ernest Wallon ©INPHO/Martin Seras Lima
The Ireland Men’s Sevens team won their first medal as a core team on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, following a thrilling final day at the HSBC France Sevens in Toulouse.
In Pics: Ireland Men Rewarded With Podium Finish In Toulouse
Day 1 Round-Up: Ireland Men Falter In Second Half Against Samoa
Day 2 Round-Up: Victory Over Spain Earns Last-Eight Berth For Ireland Men
Day 2 Round-Up: Ireland Men Gain Revenge On Argentina To Reach Last-Four
Ireland knocked out hosts France with a 24-7 win to reach their first ever Cup final at this level, before a strong Fiji team prevailed 29-17 in the Stade Ernest Wallon decider.
Two tries from Terry Kennedy, who topped the DHL Impact Player rankings, and efforts from Mark Roche Andrew Smith saw James Topping’s men silence the home crowd in what turned out to be a convincing semi-final victory.
Jordan Conroy and Kennedy both touched down to give Ireland a brief 12-7 lead in the final, but Fiji showed their class to put themselves out of sight before Tullamore man Conroy claimed a late consolation try.
It was still a hugely successful weekend for the IRFU Sevens Programmes, with the Men’s side beating the two top-ranked teams in the world – South Africa (for the first time) and Argentina – on the way to winning a historic silver.
The Ireland Women, who were silver and bronze medal winners in recent legs, wrapped up their World Series campaign with a best ever season finish of fourth with Fiji just pipping them to third overall.
Topping’s charges move on to the HSBC London Sevens next weekend, returning to Twickenham Stadium where they enjoyed a famous breakthrough back in 2018 when winning bronze as an invitational team.
Mark Roche kicked off the semi-final amid a partisan atmosphere, with Ireland immediately making it a real scrap for possession and forcing a knock-on as ‘La Marseillaise’ rang out around the stadium.
It was the Irish fans in full voice when Kennedy used a clever dummy – and Tom Roche’s decoy run – to scamper back out to the left from the edge of the French 22 and crash over in the corner despite Joachim Trouabal’s last-ditch tackle.
Topping’s side pushed into a 12-0 lead with Conroy threatening from a Hugo Lennox kick through. Mark Roche pounced on the loose ball, ahead of Aaron Grandidier, to roll over the line and score. He also added a classy conversion.
Nisie Huyard pulled back a try with a fine run from inside his own half, but les Bleus had a frustrating start to the second period when a deliberate knock-on saw Jonathan Laugel sin-binned.
Ireland duly profited from the extra man, Smith’s impressive cut line opening up the French defence and at the ensuing ruck, Harry McNulty’s big clear-out gave Billy Dardis the chance to put Kennedy over from close range.
Now 17-7 behind, France were struggling to get out of their own half and even when Esteban Capilla managed to gain ground, Smith’s tackle dislodged the ball and Ireland countered brilliantly for their fourth try with two minutes to go.
Kennedy threaded a cross-field kick through for Conroy to chase, Bryan Mollen followed up to steal the ball after Jordan Sepho was tackled and Dardis released the onrushing Smith for a one-handed diving finish beside the posts.
The conversion dispatched by Dardis, McNulty’s hard graft at the breakdown and also the resulting lineout sealed the result as Ireland set up an intriguing final against Fiji, the winners of last month’s tournament in Singapore.
21-12 winners when the sides last met during the pool stages in Singapore, Ireland fell behind as Fiji got off to a flying start. Waisea Nacuqu used an early turnover penalty to send captain Tevita Daugunu over from the right wing.
A knock on prevented Tom Roche from turning a McNulty-led breakout into a possible try, but good work at a scrum from the elder Roche brother, Mark, and then McNulty at the breakdown saw Fiji turned over twice.
Kennedy used the second steal in the fourth minute to put Conroy over in the left corner from close range, with Mark Roche landing a pinpoint levelling conversion.
Another solid defensive set from Ireland forced a Fijian spill near halfway, Kennedy countering with a well-weighted kick through. With Nacuqu dithering on it in the 22, the St. Mary’s College clubman swept in to score for a sudden 12-7 advantage.
The Fijians were ruthless in capitalising on Irish errors, though, and a knock-on and the resulting scrum provided the platform for Napolioni Bolaca to spring through from halfway to make it 14-12 at the interval.
Ben Gollings’ charges went up a gear on the restart, stretching the Irish defence for big Josua Vakurunabili to dive over. Elia Canakaivata made it a quick one-two blow, despite Ireland’s protests that there had been a knock-on in the build-up.
Suddenly it was a double-scores deficit at 24-12 with only three-and-a-half minutes left. Conroy had a great surge up to the Fijian 10-metre line, but Jack Kelly unfortunately put too much into a subsequent pass and it went into touch.
Kaminieli Rasaku started and finished a swarming attack for Fiji’s fifth try, but Ireland battled on and made sure to have the final say, Smith and Chay Mullins both impressing late on as Conroy finished smartly in the right corner.
On foot of their consistency across the weekend, captain Dardis and his team-mates picked up 19 ranking points and moved up one place to fourth in the World Series standings ahead of the penultimate leg in London.
Kennedy tallied up seven tries as the second top try scorer in Toulouse, just behind Argentina’s Marcos Moneta. The in-form Dubliner is top of the series’ scoring charts for the season with 39 tries.
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC) (capt)
Sean Kearns (Ireland Sevens)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College RFC)
Chay Mullins (IQ Rugby)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Tom Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Andrew Smith (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)
Friday, May 20 –
POOL D:
SOUTH AFRICA 12 IRELAND 21, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: South Africa: Tries: Mfundo Ndhlovu, Siviwe Soyizwapi; Con: Ronald Brown
Ireland: Tries: Terry Kennedy 2, Jack Kelly; Cons: Billy Dardis 3
HT: South Africa 7 Ireland 7
Team: Harry McNulty, Zac Ward, Andrew Smith, Billy Dardis (capt), Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Hugo Lennox.
Subs used: Bryan Mollen, Chay Mullins, Jack Kelly, Mark Roche. Not used: Sean Kearns.
SAMOA 27 IRELAND 14, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: Samoa: Tries: Steve Onosai 2, Paul Scanlan 2; Cons: Melani Matavao 2; Pen: Melani Matavao
Ireland: Tries: Jordan Conroy, Jack Kelly; Cons: Billy Dardis 2
HT: Samoa 5 Ireland 14
Team: Harry McNulty, Zac Ward, Andrew Smith, Billy Dardis (capt), Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Hugo Lennox.
Subs used: Jack Kelly, Mark Roche, Bryan Mollen, Tom Roche, Chay Mullins.
Day 1 Round-Up: Ireland Men Falter In Second Half Against Samoa
Saturday, May 21 –
POOL D:
IRELAND 26 SPAIN 21, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Zac Ward, Andrew Smith; Cons: Sean Kearns, Billy Dardis 2
Spain: Tries: Tobias Sainz-Trapaga 2, Francisco Soriano; Cons: Juan Martinez, Juan Ramos 2
HT: Ireland 12 Spain 14
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Jack Kelly, Andrew Smith, Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Mark Roche, Sean Kearns.
Subs used: Zac Ward, Tom Roche, Chay Mullins, Hugo Lennox, Billy Dardis.
Day 2 Round-Up: Victory Over Spain Earns Last-Eight Berth For Ireland Men
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – France Sevens Fixtures/Results
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series – France Sevens Pool Tables
CUP QUARTER-FINAL:
ARGENTINA 0 IRELAND 14, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: Argentina: –
Ireland: Tries: Bryan Mollen, Terry Kennedy; Cons: Mark Roche 2
HT: Argentina 0 Ireland 14
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Bryan Mollen, Zac Ward, Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Mark Roche, Hugo Lennox.
Subs used: Jack Kelly, Andrew Smith, Billy Dardis, Chay Mullins. Not used: Tom Roche.
Day 2 Round-Up: Ireland Men Gain Revenge On Argentina To Reach Last-Four
Sunday, May 22 –
CUP SEMI-FINAL:
IRELAND 24 FRANCE 7, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Terry Kennedy 2, Mark Roche, Andrew Smith; Cons: Mark Roche, Billy Dardis
France: Try: Nisie Huyard; Con: Paulin Riva
HT: Ireland 12 France 7
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Jack Kelly, Tom Roche, Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Mark Roche, Hugo Lennox.
Subs used: Bryan Mollen, Chay Mullins, Billy Dardis, Sean Kearns, Andrew Smith.
CUP FINAL:
FIJI 29 IRELAND 17, Stade Ernest Wallon
Scorers: Fiji: Tries: Tevita Daugunu, Napolioni Bolaca, Josua Vakurunabili, Elia Canakaivata, Kaminieli Rasaku; Cons: Napolioni Bolaca, Waisea Nacuqu
Ireland: Tries: Jordan Conroy 2, Terry Kennedy; Con: Mark Roche
HT: Fiji 14 Ireland 12
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Jack Kelly, Tom Roche, Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Mark Roche, Hugo Lennox.
Subs used: Chay Mullins, Bryan Mollen, Sean Kearns, Billy Dardis, Andrew Smith.
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