Billy Dardis scores the third and final try for the Ireland Men's Sevens team during their quarter-final win over Argentina in Singapore ©Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images/World Rugby
Second half tries from Terry Kennedy and Billy Dardis saw the Ireland Men’s Sevens team (sponsored by TritonLake) win their top of the table clash with Argentina at the swelteringly hot Singapore Sevens.
Having finished third in Pool C, Ireland were back close to their best for a heavyweight Cup quarter-final. HSBC SVNS Series leaders Argentina led through a Tobias Wade score, but Conroy, Kennedy, and Dardis all crossed in a deserved 21-5 win.
James Topping’s men will play Great Britain in tomorrow’s semi-final (kick-off 1.48pm local time/6.48am Irish time). The teams already faced each other in the pool stages on Friday, with Ireland running out 19-5 winners.
However, the GB outfit are coming into form, following their recent silver medal success in Los Angeles, and today’s impressive 35-7 quarter-final victory over a highly-fancied France. New Zealand and Australia have come through on the other side of the draw.
You can watch all of the HSBC SVNS Series matches for free on RugbyPass TV or on TNT Sports, while there is coverage of Ireland’s progress in Singapore across the @Ireland7s social media channels, and in our Ireland Sevens Hub.
Ireland are second in the overall standings and can still mathematically pip Argentina to the HSBC SVNS Series League title. They would have to win the tournament tomorrow, and hope that los Pumas Sevens lose to South Africa in the 5th place play-off.
Captain Harry McNulty and his team-mates will only be focused on beating Britain, and to do that they will have to end a run of four semi-final losses so far this season. The opportunity is there to be taken, according to the 31-year-old skipper.
“It was actually exactly what I talked about to the guys before,” said McNulty, speaking after Ireland’s second successive quarter-final triumph over Argentina of the current campaign.
“I was trying to think all afternoon what do I say to these guys, but I came to one conclusion – ‘what’s the difference between a chance and an opportunity?’
“A chance is a fleeting moment, in a blink of the eye it’s gone. An opportunity is the reason we get up in the morning and go to training when it’s hard, and the reason that we’re here in Singapore.
“What opportunities are we going to give ourselves when we come out on this pitch? Every moment is an opportunity, and take the whole opportunity in itself.”
He added: “We knew that Argentina are big, strong ball carriers, I think everybody in the world knows that at this stage! They like to come around the corner, so the main thing was slowing down that initial attack with a really good tackle.
“If they get going on the first, jeez, it’s hard to stop them on the second and the third. If you get them in the first or second, then you give yourself that opportunity that we’re talking about to have a crack and really go for it. That’s what we looked to do, and we did it.”
Kennedy has taken advantage of Marcos Moneta’s injury-enforced absence from the Singapore event to take over at the top of the try-scoring charts. With three tries so far this weekend, his season’s haul now stands at 31, putting him two clear of the Argentinian star.
Returning under the Singapore National Stadium’s roof for the night session, McNulty won two early lineouts against Argentina as Ireland initially built some momentum with ball in hand. Santiago Mare’s penalty win kept them out of the Argentinian 22.
Gaston Revol’s blindside snipe was spoiled by a knock-on from Argentina captain Santiago Alvarez, but they were first on the board in the sixth minute after Ireland had gained territory through a Mark Roche kick.
The ball found its way to Wade who slipped out of a tackle from Gavin Mullin and backed his pace to score from his own 22. His opportunist effort out wide went unconverted, and Ireland reacted well to fashion a quick-fire response.
After Roche had tapped a penalty, the men in green swung play to both sides of the pitch. Mullin then threaded a terrific kick through from near halfway, and Conroy cruised onto it, collecting the ball on the bounce to bag the 119th try of his SVNS Series career.
With the final kick of the opening half, Roche nailed the conversion from the right, and it was the skilful scrum half that gobbled up turnover ball early on the resumption, which led to a timely second try.
Connor O’Sullivan broke from deep, using a dummy and a burst of pace. He had the fresh legs of Kennedy up in support, and there was no catching the St. Mary’s College speedster on a run-in of 50-plus metres. Roche was pinpoint accurate with the conversion for a 14-5 lead.
Los Pumas Sevens looked to force the issue through Rodrigo Isgro, and the newly-introduced Luciano Gonzalez. However, Ireland were landing some effective tackles, and McNulty made a mess of the breakdown to win possession back.
The Irish fans responded when Kennedy launched a furious kick chase, and replacement Jack Kelly followed up to claw possession back from a grounded Isgro. The pressure told with Argentina replacement Matteo Graziano seeing yellow for a deliberate knock-on.
Having opted for a close-in scrum in the 12th minute, Dardis grasped his opportunity to break off the rear. He shrugged off Joaquin Pellandini to register try number three, which he converted with a classy drop-kick from near the right touchline.
Back to their full complement, Argentina hunted down a late reply but lacked their usual accuracy and execution. Replacement Chay Mullin did well to win a final penalty at the breakdown to confirm the 16-point winning margin.
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Josh Costello (Shannon RFC) *
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Zac McConnell (Ireland Sevens)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC) (capt)
Bryan Mollen (UCD RFC)
Gavin Mullin (UCD RFC)
Chay Mullins (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht/IQ Rugby)
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock College RFC)
Connor O’Sullivan (Lansdowne FC)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
* Denotes uncapped player
Friday, May 3 –
POOL C:
IRELAND 19 GREAT BRITAIN 5, Singapore National Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Mark Roche, Gavin Mullin, Chay Mullins; Cons: Mark Roche, Billy Dardis
Great Britain: Try: Charlton Kerr
HT: Ireland 12 Great Britain 0
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Connor O’Sullivan, Aaron O’Sullivan, Mark Roche, Gavin Mullin, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy.
Replacements used: Jack Kelly, Chay Mullins, Billy Dardis, Bryan Mollen, Zac McConnell.
IRELAND 7 USA 10, Singapore National Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Try: Terry Kennedy; Con: Billy Dardis
USA: Tries: Kevon Williams, Perry Baker
HT: Ireland 7 USA 5
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Connor O’Sullivan, Aaron O’Sullivan, Billy Dardis, Bryan Mollen, Terry Kennedy, Josh Costello.
Replacements used: Jack Kelly, Jordan Conroy, Gavin Mullin, Mark Roche. Not used: Chay Mullins.
Day 1 Round-Up: Ireland Men Sit Second In Singapore Sevens Pool
Saturday, May 4 –
POOL C:
IRELAND 19 FIJI 26, Singapore National Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Gavin Mullin, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy; Cons: Mark Roche 2
Fiji: Tries: Terio Tamani 2, Joji Nasova, Ponepati Loganimasi; Cons: Terio Tamani 2, Ponepati Loganimasi
HT: Ireland 14 Fiji 14
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Chay Mullins, Jack Kelly, Mark Roche, Gavin Mullin, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy.
Replacements used: Aaron O’Sullivan, Billy Dardis, Josh Costello, Connor O’Sullivan, Zac McConnell.
CUP QUARTER-FINAL:
ARGENTINA 5 IRELAND 21, Singapore National Stadium
Scorers: Argentina: Try: Tobias Wade
Ireland: Tries: Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Billy Dardis; Cons: Mark Roche 2, Billy Dardis
HT: Argentina 5 Ireland 7
Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Connor O’Sullivan, Aaron O’Sullivan, Mark Roche, Bryan Mollen, Gavin Mullin, Jordan Conroy.
Replacements used: Terry Kennedy, Billy Dardis, Jack Kelly, Chay Mullins, Josh Costello.
Sunday, May 5 –
CUP SEMI-FINAL:
GREAT BRITAIN v IRELAND, Singapore National Stadium, 1.48pm local time/6.48am Irish time
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