Béibhinn Parsons led the try-scoring for the Ireland Women on the opening day of the Algarve Sevens tournament in Portugal ©INPHO/Travis Prior
Béibhinn Parsons scored six tries and new cap Clare Gorman opened her international account as the Ireland Women (sponsored by TritonLake) enjoyed back-to-back wins at the Algarve Sevens.
Portugal is hosting the opening leg of the Rugby Europe Sevens Championship Series, and while regular captain Lucy Mulhall and Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe both take a well-earned rest, Stacey Flood is stepping up as Ireland’s skipper.
Fresh from securing qualification for next year’s Olympics, Allan Temple-Jones’ youthful team began their European campaign with opening pool victories over Sweden (27-0) and Germany (43-5).
Flying winger Parsons ran in a hat-trick in each game, while seven different scorers shared out Ireland’s 12 tries and Eve Higgins and Kate Farrell McCabe took on the kicking roles for restarts and conversions.
Tall Old Belvedere back Gorman, who has impressed in the Energia All-Ireland League, was given a couple of runs off the bench, and marked her second game in the green jersey with a well-taken try.
Currently sitting top of Pool B, the Ireland Women are back in action tomorrow morning at 9.44am local time/Irish time when they face Spain to decide who goes through as table toppers.
Invited forward from halfway, Parsons broke the deadlock in the fourth minute against Sweden, cutting in between two defenders after a bulldozing Erin King run had been the early highlight.
Although a knock-on from Farrell McCabe halted a promising Irish attack, Higgins soon turned a loose pass into an excellent solo try as her clever footwork and pace took her away from four defenders.
10-0 became 15-0 within a minute of the restart, as well-timed passes from Megan Burns and Anna McGann released Parsons to blaze clear from just inside the Irish half, going over untouched from the left wing.
The Ballinasloe youngster completed her hat-trick in the 10th minute, scoring in the left corner after Higgins’ initial rip in the tackle and a crisp spread of passes across the line.
With the newly-introduced Claire Boles forcing a turnover penalty, Ireland remained on the front foot and Burns sidestepped through for the fifth and final try, converted from straight in front by Farrell McCabe.
Speaking immediately after the 27-0 triumph, Flood said: “It’s good to get the first game out of the way, blow the cobwebs off and get some good momentum for the weekend.
“We just want to keep building game on game, and just get performances each time we go out on the field.”
Scrum half McCabe started the scoring against Germany, sniping over from a ruck after King and Parsons had again gained good metres with their strong running.
Parsons beat her opposite number Sofie Fella in a one-on-one for Ireland’s second try. Higgins was also improving her accuracy by landing a second tough conversion from the right.
Burns battled hard to prevent a German breakout and following a turnover penalty won by King, Higgins gave Parsons the chance to scoot clear of Fella on the outside to make it 21-0.
Steffi Gruber pulled back five points when crossing from a close-in penalty, but Ireland went on to dominate the second half, particularly while Germany’s Johanna Hacker was in the sin bin for a high tackle.
Parsons cut in off her left to dart clear of both Fella and Clara Tauschek for a cracking try from deep. Higgins added her fourth successful conversion before Boles shrugged off a tackle for a powerful run-in from the edge of the German 22.
Gorman got on the scoresheet in the 13th minute, taking Mette Zimat on the outside thanks to a timely jink and surge of acceleration.
There was just enough time for Wicklow’s Vicky Elmes Kinlan to add her name to the list of try scorers. The 20-year-old used a big hand-off to finish well and reward Flood’s ball-dislodging tackle from a couple of phases earlier.
Having wrapped up the result with four unanswered tries, Parsons commented afterwards: “We feel really good. We’re building into the week slowly and we’re giving loads of girls good game-time, so we’re really happy that we’re building.
“We’ve just qualified for the Olympics so we’re on a real high, and we want to keep that high going and make sure we come out of of this (tournament) with six really good performances.”
You can watch all the matches live as they happen from the Algarve Sevens here on www.rugbyeurope.tv (free registration).
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC) (capt)
Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
Friday, June 9 –
POOL B:
IRELAND 27 SWEDEN 0, Sports Complex Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Béibhinn Parsons 3, Eve Higgins, Megan Burns; Con: Kate Farrell McCabe
Sweden: –
HT: Ireland 10 Sweden 0
Team: Anna McGann, Katie Heffernan, Erin King, Kate Farrell McCabe, Eve Higgins, Megan Burns, Béibhinn Parsons.
Subs used: Claire Boles, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Stacey Flood (capt), Clare Gorman.
IRELAND 43 GERMANY 5, Sports Complex Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Kate Farrell McCabe, Béibhinn Parsons 3, Claire Boles, Clare Gorman, Vicky Elmes Kinlan; Cons: Eve Higgins 4
Germany: Try: Steffi Gruber
HT: Ireland 21 Germany 5
Team: Anna McGann, Katie Heffernan, Erin King, Kate Farrell McCabe, Eve Higgins, Megan Burns, Béibhinn Parsons.
Subs used: Claire Boles, Emily Lane, Clare Gorman, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Stacey Flood (capt).
Saturday, June 10 –
POOL B:
IRELAND v SPAIN, Sports Complex Vila Real de Santo António, Algarve, 9.44am local time/Irish time
PLAY-OFFS
Sunday, June 11 –
PLAY-OFFS
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