Ireland Men’s Olympic Dreams Dashed By Defending Champions Fiji

The Ireland Men’s Sevens team threw everything they could at Fiji, but an opportunist 12th-minute try from Waisea Nacuqu saw the two-time Olympic champions claimed a tense 19-15 quarter-final win.

Match Photos – Fiji 19 Ireland Men 15

Having leaked an early score to Iosefo Baleiwairiki, Ireland replied with a fine brace from Chay Mullins to lead 10-7 at half-time. Zac Ward finished off a breathless attack to extend the lead to eight points.

However, Fiji, who have found another gear since the HSBC SVNS Series ended, extended their incredible Olympic winning streak – 16 straight victories – thanks to closing efforts from Joji Nasova and Nacuqu.

Missed conversions and missed tackles will mean Ireland, who were without the injured Jordan Conroy, will look back on this game with huge frustration. A key moment saw a Fijian restart bounce loose for Nacuqu to edge his team back in front.

Ireland captain Harry McNulty argued that there had been a knock-on in the air, and replays showed the ball coming off Baleiwairiki’s left hand, but the try stood and Fiji were able to hold Ireland at arm’s length.

A series of penalties gave James Topping’s men some late hope, and they twice went to lineouts but could not get back into scoring range as they bowed out of medal contention at Paris 2024.

Speaking in the aftermath, McNulty said: “We definitely had the winning of that game but it wasn’t them beating us, it was us just giving a loose ball away here or there and just allowing them to attack and score with their opportunities really quickly.

“If you’re going to lose a game it’s because a team has outworked you or forced you through a tonne of phases, that you’re out on your feet, not something that takes place without a ruck taking place.

“Those can be annoying but that’s the way that they play and we have to make sure we can stop it. Disappointing in that way, but we can take a lot of confidence from the fact that we’re pushing Fiji and New Zealand to within a score, the two best teams to ever play Rugby Sevens.

“There’s so much more that this team can give. I just told the players I don’t think there’s any better team that I’ve played with than this group of guys. We have the capabilities of playing the best in the world.”

McNulty and his team-mates will regroup now and look to end the tournament on a high at the weekend. They will play the USA in Saturday’s 5th-8th place play-offs (kick-off 3pm local time/2pm Irish time), with New Zealand and Argentina also in the bracket.

Turning the tables from earlier in the year, the teams that finished from fourth to seventh in the SVNS Series standings – Australia, France, Fiji, and South Africa – have qualified for the semis, while the top three (Argentina, Ireland, and New Zealand) have been knocked out.

IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS Squad (Olympic Games – Paris 2024, Stade de France, July 24, 25, 27):

Niall Comerford (UCD RFC)
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Hugo Keenan (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC) (capt)
Gavin Mullin (UCD RFC)
Chay Mullins (Galway Corinthians RFC/Connacht/IQ Rugby)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Andrew Smith (Clontarf FC/Connacht)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)

Travelling Reserves:

Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Bryan Mollen (UCD RFC)

IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS Schedule – Olympic Games, Paris 2024:

Wednesday, July 24 –

POOL A:

IRELAND 10 SOUTH AFRICA 5, Stade de France
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy
South Africa: Try: Selvyn Davids
HT: Ireland 5 South Africa 0

Match Report

Match Photos

Time Line: 7+1 minutes – Ireland try: Jordan Conroy – 5-0; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 5-0; Half-time – Ireland 5 South Africa 0; 11 mins – South Africa yellow card: Ryan Oosthuizen; 12 mins – Ireland try: Terry Kennedy – 10-0; conversion: missed by Hugo Lennox – 10-0; 14 mins – South Africa try: Selvyn Davids – 10-5; conversion: missed by Shaun Williams – 10-5; Full-time – Ireland 10 South Africa 5

Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Niall Comerford, Zac Ward, Mark Roche, Hugo Keenan, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy.

Replacements used: Hugo Lennox for Roche (half-time), Jack Kelly for Ward (8 minutes), Gavin Mullin for Keenan (10), Andrew Smith for Comerford (11), Chay Mullins for Kennedy (14).

IRELAND 40 JAPAN 5, Stade de France
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Terry Kennedy, Chay Mullins 2, Harry McNulty, Niall Comerford, Zac Ward; Cons: Hugo Lennox 3, Mark Roche 2
Japan: Try: Shotaru Tsuoka
HT: Ireland 14 Japan 0

Match Report

Match Photos

Time Line: 1 minutes – Ireland try: Terry Kennedy – 5-0; conversion: Hugo Lennox – 7-0; 7+1 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 12-0; conversion: Hugo Lennox – 14-0; Half-time – Ireland 14 Japan 0; 8 mins – Ireland try: Harry McNulty – 19-0; conversion: Hugo Lennox – 21-0; 10 mins – Ireland try: Niall Comerford – 26-0; conversion: missed by Hugo Lennox – 26-0; 12 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 31-0; conversion: Mark Roche – 33-0; 14 mins – Japan try: Shotaro Tsuoka – 33-5; conversion: missed by Yoshihiro Noguchi – 33-5; 14+1 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 38-5; conversion: Mark Roche – 40-5; Full-time – Ireland 40 Japan 5

Team: Jack Kelly, Andrew Smith, Harry McNulty (capt), Hugo Lennox, Gavin Mullin, Terry Kennedy, Chay Mullins.

Replacements used: Niall Comerford for Smith, Hugo Keenan for Kennedy (both 9 mins), Zac Ward for Kelly, Mark Roche for Lennox (both 11), Jordan Conroy for McNulty (12).

Thursday, July 25 –

POOL A:

NEW ZEALAND 14 IRELAND 12, Stade de France
Scorers: New Zealand: Tries: Leroy Carter, Ngarohi McGarvey-Black; Cons: Akuila Rokolisoa, Andrew Knewstubb
Ireland: Tries: Zac Ward, Jordan Conroy; Con: Mark Roche
HT: New Zealand 0 Ireland 12

Match Report

Match Photos

Time Line: 6 minutes – Ireland try: Zac Ward – 5-0; conversion: Mark Roche – 5-0; 7 mins – Ireland try: Jordan Conroy – 12-0; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 12-0; Half-time – New Zealand 0 Ireland 12; 8 mins – New Zealand try: Leroy Carter – 5-12; conversion: Akuila Rokolisoa – 7-12; 14 mins – New Zealand try: Ngarohi McGarvey-Black – 12-12; conversion: Andrew Knewstubb – 14-12; Full-time – New Zealand 14 Ireland 12

Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Niall Comerford, Zac Ward, Mark Roche, Hugo Keenan, Terry Kennedy, Jordan Conroy.

Replacements used: Chay Mullins for Conroy, Hugo Lennox for Roche (both half-time), Jack Kelly for Ward (8 mins), Gavin Mullin for Kennedy, Andrew Smith for Comerford (both 12).

CUP QUARTER-FINAL:

FIJI 19 IRELAND 15, Stade de France
Scorers: Fiji: Tries: Iosefo Baleiwairiki, Joji Nasova, Waisea Nacuqu; Cons: Iowane Teba, Terio Tamani Veilawa
Ireland: Tries: Chay Mullins 2, Zac Ward
HT: Fiji 7 Ireland 10

Match Photos

Time Line: 1 minute – Fiji try: Iosefo Baleiwairiki – 5-0; conversion: Iowane Teba – 7-0; 5 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 7-5; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 7-5; 7 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 7-10; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 7-10; Half-time – Fiji 7 Ireland 10; 9 mins – Ireland try: Zac Ward – 7-15; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 7-15; 11 mins – Fiji try: Joji Nasova – 12-15; conversion: missed by Joji Nasova – 12-15; 12 mins – Fiji try: Waisea Nacuqu – 17-15; conversion: Terio Tamani Veilava – 19-15; Full-time – Fiji 19 Ireland 15

Team: Harry McNulty (capt), Niall Comerford, Zac Ward, Mark Roche, Gavin Mullin, Terry Kennedy, Chay Mullins.

Replacements used: Jack Kelly for Ward, Hugo Lennox for Roche (both 9 mins), Hugo Keenan for Mullin, Andrew Smith for Mullins (both 12). Not used: Jordan Conroy.

Saturday, July 27 –

5TH PLACE SEMI-FINAL:

IRELAND v USA, Stade de France, kick-off 3pm local time/2pm Irish time