Ireland Women Begin Sevens World Cup Qualifier With Brace Of Wins

The Ireland Women’s Sevens team, sponsored by TritonLake, registered two convincing wins on the opening day of the Rugby World Cup Sevens European Qualifier in Bucharest.

Aiden McNulty’s side scored 15 tries and conceded none in beating Wales (62-0) and Germany (27-0), with Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe touching down six times and Anna McGann, captain Lucy Mulhall, Katie Heffernan and Eve Higgins running in two each.

Ireland’s final group game tomorrow against an unbeaten Czechia (kick-off 11.50am local time/9.50am Irish time) will decide who goes through to the quarter-finals as Pool A winners.

The four teams that reach the semi-final stage at Romania’s National Rugby Stadium will qualify for the Sevens World Cup, which takes place in Cape Town in September.

Ireland hit the front against Wales inside the opening minute, Claire Boles forcing a turnover penalty and McGann finished out wide from a Brittany Hogan pass.

Hogan did well to win possession from the restart, with Boles carrying hard up into the Welsh 22 before scrum half Heffernan fed Murphy Crowe for a simple finish in the right corner.

Heffernan, attacking off a scrum, took a return pass from Murphy Crowe to score in the fourth minute, with Mulhall adding a well-struck conversion from the right for a 17-0 lead.

Murphy Crowe soon broke a tackle to double her tally, and a superb solo break from Mulhall earned her a try just past the half-time hooter. She converted to make it 31-0 at the interval.

Mulhall and Murphy Crowe combined for Ireland’s sixth try early on the restart, and scrum possession provided the platform to sprung the latter over again on the left wing, with Kate Farrell McCabe supplying the assist.

Farrell McCabe took Ireland to the 50-point mark by converting Heffernan’s second try of the game, and neat work at close quarters from Higgins and Erin King sent McGann powering over with two minutes remaining.

Higgins, who had been sprung from the bench, had the final say when crossing for her fourth try after good hands from King and McGann had created the opportunity via a turnover in the Welsh 22.

Murphy Crowe quickly added to her tournament haul in round two against Germany. She won a turnover penalty and tapped it to breeze over after just 29 seconds.

The Germans had most of the first half possession, but struggled for territory. Turnover ball led to Mulhall crossing from close range in the fifth minute, throwing a dummy along the way.

10-0 became 15-0 as good running and passing from Mulhall and Emily Lane freed up Higgins to scoot over on the left and wrap up the first half’s scoring.

Germany gained ground early in the second period, but when the ball squirted out of their ruck, Mulhall was alive to it. She drew in a defender and released Murphy Crowe who broke clear to score from inside the Irish half.

Wicklow teenager King had a try disallowed for a tackle without the ball, before Murphy Crowe beat Laura Dervari to a loose German pass and offloaded out of a tackle for Hogan to complete the scoring at 27-0.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens European Qualifier, Arcul de Triumf Stadium, Bucharest, July 16-17, 2022):

Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Lucinda Kinghan (Railway Union RFC/DCU RFC)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC) (capt)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC)

RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS EUROPEAN QUALIFIER – FIXTURES/RESULTS:

Saturday, July 16 –

POOL A:

IRELAND 62 WALES 0, Arcul de Triumf Stadium – Watch Replay
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Anna McGann 2, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe 4, Katie Heffernan 2, Lucy Mulhall, Eve Higgins; Cons: Lucy Mulhall 4, Kate Farrell McCabe 2
Wales: –
HT: Ireland 31 Wales 0

Team: Anna McGann, Claire Boles, Brittany Hogan, Katie Heffernan, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs used: Erin King, Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Megan Burns, Lucinda Kinghan.

IRELAND 27 GERMANY 0, Arcul de Triumf Stadium – Watch Replay
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe 2, Lucy Mulhall, Eve Higgins, Brittany Hogan; Con: Lucy Mulhall
Germany: –
HT: Ireland 15 Germany 0

Team: Erin King, Claire Boles, Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Lucy Mulhall (capt), Megan Burns, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.

Subs used: Kate Farrell McCabe, Brittany Hogan, Katie Heffernan, Lucinda Kinghan, Vicky Elmes Kinlan.

Rugby World Cup Sevens European Qualifier – Fixtures/Results/Tables

Sunday, July 17 –

POOL A:

IRELAND v CZECHIA, Arcul de Triumf Stadium, 11.50am local time/9.50am Irish time

PLAY-OFFS