Ireland Universities Women’s Sevens Team Earn Play-Off Victory Over Poland

The result secured a seventh place finish overall for Ireland, with Neill Alcorn’s young side putting together their best performance since coming together as a squad on the back of the IRFU University 7s competition which was run in the spring.

Driven on by captain Eva Sterritt, the girls in green won two of their five matches in France and had nine different try scorers, led by DCU winger Lily Onilenla with four, while UL’s Laoise McGonagle and DCU’s Sarah O’Donnell ran in two each.

Having an Irish squad compete at this level is another step in the right direction for the IRFU Women’s Rugby and Sevens pathways, especially with the Centre of Excellence hubs now established at six Universities, and the IRFU University 7s expanding rugby opportunities for young female athletes.

Alcorn’s charges relished the opportunity to represent their country, with UL’s Aoibhe O’Flynn saying: “It was really important for us to finish on a high. We had a tough start, but I’m really proud of all the girls. We stuck at it, through to today, and the energy was unreal.”

Along with some familiar names from Ireland Under-18 and Under-20 Women’s squads, this first national Universities Sevens group has allowed the WNTS (Women’s National Talent Squad) pathway staff to work with, and develop, some fresh new talent as well.

Buoyed by Tuesday’s victory over India, Ireland were first to threaten in the play-off encounter. Although Poland held out despite a strong initial carry from Paige Smyth, a subsequent third-minute attack paid dividends as the Irish outfit outflanked the defence on the right.

Gemma Faulkner forced a turnover penalty and took it quickly, combining with McGonagle and Sterritt, with the skipper’s pinpoint pass off her left releasing SETU Carlow’s Amy Rushton to score from halfway and also convert.

Ireland’s swarming defence kept the Polish side out of scoring range, and they built for a second converted try before half-time. Faulkner deservedly got on the scoresheet, arrowing through a gap after gathering a scooped pass from McGonagle, her former Galwegians team-mate.

Good ball retention from the restart was rewarded with an early try. Onilenla darted over from the left wing having been invited forward by some nice interplay between McGonagle and Sterritt. Rushton’s missed conversion left it 19-0.

With strong vocal support from family members in the stand, Ireland pushed on to score four more tries. Sterritt’s textbook tackle gained turnover ball, and Faulkner carried up into the Polish 22 before Rushton and Sterritt worked the ball wide for Onilenla to bag her brace.

Railway Union’s Rhiann Heery raced clean through from a scrum, just outside the opposition 22, for try number five, and solid tackling from Rushton and Cara Martin meant a Polish attack ran out of room on the near stand side.

With Martin soon popping up in attack, fellow replacement Lucy Thompson then broke out of a tackle to add her name to the list of try scorers. Rushton converted to make it 38-0, before Martin was rewarded for her support run, crossing from Heery’s offload out of a tackle.

World Rugby and FISU have a collaboration agreement, and the international federation supports the World University Championship Rugby Sevens as a superb showcase of the continuing growth of the sport. The next tournament will be held in Stellenbosch, South Africa in 2026.

IRELAND UNIVERSITIES WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2024 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence, France, Monday, June 10-Wednesday, June 12, 2024):

Gemma Faulkner (ATU Galway)
Rhiann Heery (Technological University of the Shannon)
Cara Martin (Dublin City University)
Laoise McGonagle (University of Limerick)
Sarah O’Donnell (Dublin City University)
Aoibhe O’Flynn (University of Limerick)
Lily Onilenla (Dublin City University)
Amy Rushton (SETU Carlow)
Paige Smyth (Ulster University)
Eva Sterritt (University of Exeter/IQ Rugby) (capt)
Lucy Thompson (Ulster University)
Sophie Treanor (Dublin City University)

Ireland Universities Women’s Sevens Management Team:

Head Coach – Neill Alcorn
Team Manager – Katie Fitzhenry
Physio – Naomi Hamilton
S&C – Cormac Murray

IRELAND UNIVERSITIES WOMEN’S SEVENS Schedule – 2024 FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens:

Monday, June 10 –

POOL B:

CANADA 45 IRELAND 7, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
Scorers: Canada: Tries: Vanessa Chiappetta 3, Savannagh Bauder, Angie Olukunmi, Olivia Sarabura, Natalie Armatage; Cons: Savannah Bauder 4, Vanessa Chiappetta
Ireland: Try: Lily Onilenla; Con: Amy Rushton
HT: Canada 21 Ireland 7

Team: Paige Smyth, Eva Sterritt (capt), Aoibhe O’Flynn, Amy Rushton, Gemma Faulkner, Lily Onilenla, Laoise McGonagle.

Replacements used: Sarah O’Donnell, Rhiann Heery, Sophie Treanor, Cara Martin, Lucy Thompson.

AUSTRALIA 31 IRELAND 0, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
Scorers: Australia: Tries: Meg Gemmell 2, Indiahna Frawley, Piper Flynn, Tess Orton; Cons: Piper Flynn 3
Ireland: –
HT: Australia 14 Ireland 0

Team: Paige Smyth, Eva Sterritt (capt), Sarah O’Donnell, Rhiann Heery, Gemma Faulkner, Lily Onilenla, Laoise McGonagle.

Replacements used: Amy Rushton, Aoibhe O’Flynn, Cara Martin, Lucy Thompson, Sophie Treanor.

Day 1 Round-Up: Ireland Universities Women’s Sevens Team Make FISU World Championship Debut

Tuesday, June 11 –

POOL B:

INDIA 12 IRELAND 27, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
Scorers: India: Tries: Ujjwala Ramdas Ghuge, Akanksha Anand Katkade; Con: Ujjwala Ramdas Ghuge
Ireland: Tries: Eva Sterritt, Laoise McGonagle, Sarah O’Donnell 2, Lily Onilenia; Con: Amy Rushton
HT: India 7 Ireland 10

Team: Lucy Thompson, Sophie Treanor, Cara Martin, Gemma Faulkner, Eva Sterritt (capt), Lily Onilenia, Laoise McGonagle.

Replacements used: Paige Smyth, Rhiaan Heery, Sarah O’Donnell, Amy Rushton, Aoibhe O’Flynn.

IRELAND 5 FRANCE 25, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
Scorers: France: Try: Laoise McGonagle
France: Tries: Enea Vey, Noemie Begasse, Clemence Berthet, Florine Thiron 2
HT: Ireland 0 France 15

Team: Paige Smyth, Eva Sterritt (capt), Sarah O’Donnell, Rhiann Heery, Gemma Faulkner, Lily Onilenla, Laoise McGonagle.

Replacements used: Amy Rushton, Aoibhe O’Flynn, Cara Martin, Lucy Thompson. Not used: Sophie Treanor.

Day 2 Round-Up: First Win For Ireland Universities Sevens Team At FISU World Championship

Wednesday, June 12 –

7TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:

POLAND 0 IRELAND 43, Stade Maurice David, Aix-en-Provence
Scorers: Poland: –
Ireland: Tries: Amy Rushton, Gemma Faulkner, Lily Onilenla 2, Rhiann Heery, Lucy Thompson, Cara Martin; Cons: Amy Rushton 4
HT: Ireland 0 Poland 14

Team: Paige Smyth, Eva Sterritt (capt), Aoibhe O’Flynn, Amy Rushton, Gemma Faulkner, Lily Onilenla, Laoise McGonagle.

Replacements used: Rhiann Heery, Sophie Treanor, Cara Martin, Sarah O’Donnell, Lucy Thompson.