Ireland Men Close Out Paris 2024 Campaign With Sixth Place Finish

The two travelling reserves, Sean Cribbin and Bryan Mollen, both got game-time on the final day of the Men’s Rugby Sevens tournament, replacing injured duo Jordan Conroy and Andrew Smith.

Chay Mullins’ fifth try of the Paris Games was the highlight of Ireland’s closing clash with New Zealand, as they were unable to follow up their earlier Terry Kennedy-inspired victory over the USA.

Having put themselves in a position to beat both New Zealand and eventual silver medallists Fiji on day two, those two narrow defeats knocked James Topping’s side out of medal contention.

While a top six finish at the Olympics shows the obvious improvements made in the last three years, Ireland medalled at four of the eight HSBC SVNS Series legs this season and were League runners-up.

They will look back with frustration at the momentum shifts that saw New Zealand and Fiji edge them out on Thursday, leaving captain Harry McNulty and his team-mates to reflect on what might have been.

Ultimately individual errors proved costly, but Ireland had solid foundations to push on for a medal. They led five of their six matches at half-time, and had the best defensive record of the 12 teams at the end of the pool stages.

Mullins finished as the competition’s joint-second top try scorer, and four-try forward Zac Ward was another player to shine, while Topping’s charges scored just one try less (17) – and conceded one try more (12) – than champions France.

Ireland missed out on some important points with the boot, though, and ended the Olympics with eight successful conversions from 17 attempts. The two finalists, Fiji and France, had kicking returns of 18/23 and 13/17 respectively.

The focus of the Ireland Sevens programme now turns to the Women’s team, who make their long-awaited Olympic debut tomorrow with Pool B matches against Great Britain (kick-off 2.30pm Irish time), and South Africa (kick-off 6pm).

Facing New Zealand for the second time in three days, the Ireland Men engineered the first opening through a typically forceful carry from Ward. He could not get a clean offload away to the supporting Mark Roche, though.

The All Blacks Sevens, who erased a 12-point deficit to win Thursday’s Pool A decider, turned their first visit to the Irish 22 into points. Scott Curry slipped a slick offload out for Leroy Carter to charge over in the right corner.

Ward continued to gain ground with his leg-pumping runs, although Curry got in to win a turnover penalty outside his own 22. Akuila Rokolisoa handed possession back by missing touch.

Both sides traded penalties just before half-time, with Hugo Keenan winning a key decision at the breakdown. Keenan soon drew in two defenders, expertly laying the ball back for Mullins to dart clear from the Irish 10-metre line, outpacing the chasing Carter.

Roche topped off the 22-year-old’s latest try with a well-struck conversion, giving last year’s European Games champions a 7-5 lead at the interval.

However, inside a minute of the restart, New Zealand were back in front. The influential Curry scrambled turnover ball back on their side, and a pacy attack ended with replacement Brady Rush crossing from a close-in ruck to make it 10-7.

Jack Kelly and Gavin Mullin provided some attacking impetus off the Irish bench, although Conroy’s speed out wide was sorely missed. A Mollen knock-on unfortunately both a promising set of phases to a close.

New Zealand were able to sew up the result in the 12th minute, with Moses Leo making an initial break and taking a return pass from replacement Tepaea Cook-Savage to raid in behind the posts. Andrew Knewstubb converted.

Hugo Lennox launched a kick chase in the hope of squeezing in a late Irish response, but an uncharacteristic fumble from Kennedy ended the game with play just inside the New Zealand half.

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 Results – 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 Report

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 17 USA 14, Stade de France
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Hugo Lennox, Zac Ward, Terry Kennedy; Con: Hugo Lennox
USA: Tries: Aaron Cummings, Perry Baker; Cons: Steve Tomasin 2
HT: Ireland 7 USA 7

Match Report

Time Line: 1 minutes – Ireland try: Hugo Lennox – 5-0; conversion: Hugo Lennox – 7-0; 7 mins – USA try: Aaron Cummings – 7-5; conversion: Steve Tomasin – 7-7; Half-time – Ireland 7 USA 7; 11 mins – USA try: Perry Baker – 7-12; conversion: Steve Tomasin – 7-14; 14 mins – Ireland try: Zac Ward – 12-14; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 12-14; 14+1 mins – Ireland try: Terry Kennedy – 17-14; conversion: missed by Mark Roche – 17-14; Full-time – Ireland 17 USA 14

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

Replacements used: Gavin Mullin for Smith, Niall Comerford for Mullins (half-time), Zac Ward for Kelly (8 mins), Mark Roche for Lennox (12), Hugo Keenan for Cribbin (13).

5TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:

NEW ZEALAND 17 IRELAND 7, Stade de France
Scorers: New Zealand: Tries: Leroy Carter, Brady Rush, Moses Leo; Con: Akuila Rokolisoa
Ireland: Try: Chay Mullins; Con: Mark Roche
HT: New Zealand 5 Ireland 7

Time Line: 3 minutes – New Zealand try: Leroy Carter – 5-0; conversion: missed by Akuila Rokolisoa – 5-0; 7+2 mins – Ireland try: Chay Mullins – 5-5; conversion: Mark Roche – 5-7; Half-time – New Zealand 5 Ireland 7; 8 mins – New Zealand try: Brady Rush – 10-7; conversion: missed by Akuila Rokolisoa – 10-7; 12 mins – New Zealand try: Moses Leo – 15-7; conversion: Andrew Knewstubb – 17-7; Full-time – New Zealand 17 Ireland 7

Team: Zac Ward, Bryan Mollen, Harry McNulty (capt), Mark Roche, Hugo Keenan, Terry Kennedy, Chay Mullins.

Replacements used: Gavin Mullin for Mullins (10 mins), Hugo Lennox for Roche, Niall Comerford for Mollen (both 12), Jack Kelly for Ward, Sean Cribbin for Keenan (both 13).