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Ireland Women’s Sevens Debutants Provide Excitement In Perth Despite Losing Run

Ireland Women’s Sevens Debutants Provide Excitement In Perth Despite Losing Run

Ireland Women’s Sevens Debutants Provide Excitement In Perth Despite Losing Run

Debutant scrum half Katie Whelan makes a break during Ireland's 11th place play-off against Spain at Perth's HBF Park ©INPHO/Travis Hayto

Four players made their debuts for the Ireland Women’s Sevens team (sponsored by TritonLake) over the weekend, gaining valuable experience against the world’s leading sides at the HSBC SVNS Perth event.

A winning performance eluded them, but this youthful Ireland squad were competitive throughout with Katie Whelan, Alana McInerney, Ellen Boylan, and Lucia Linn all earning their first international Sevens caps.

They ended the weekend with a 24-12 play-off defeat to Spain, finishing 12th overall with Whelan and Ireland 15s winger Katie Corrigan both touching down. Robyn O’Connor, Lucinda Kinghan, and Hannah Clarke were the other try scorers across the three-day tournament.

This is a transitional period for the Ireland Women’s Sevens programme, with 2025 obviously bringing a big focus on the 15s Rugby World Cup. Almost all of the Paris Olympians have been in Celtic Challenge action of late, apart from those who are injured or retired.

The group that head coach Allan Temple-Jones brought to Western Australia contained eight players aged between 19 and 21. Along with the debutants, six others had only played between one and four SVNS Series tournaments before.

The bulk of the experience was provided by captain Megan Burns, Kathy Baker, and Kate Farrell McCabe. It was brilliant to see Farrell McCabe back in the green jersey, playing for the first time since suffering an ankle injury back in June.

Ireland fell behind to an early breakaway try from Spanish teenager Juana Stella, who darted clear after Carmen Miranda Miralles’ neat footballing skills to control a pass that had dropped short to her feet.

Stella continued to stamp her mark on the game, converting and then also adding the extras to her pacy fourth-minute effort. A dummy lineout throw was not picked up by the match officials, and Stella evaded the clutches of Burns and Alanna Fitzpatrick to run in under the posts.

Burns lifted the tempo as Ireland got some rare possession, but Beatriz Dominguez Sanchez’s turnover saw Spain counter from deep. Abril Camacho Ruiz was fed on the right wing and her quick feet took her away from both O’Connor and Fitzpatrick to make it 19-0.

The half-time break saw Ireland regroup in the searing Perth heat, and Clare Gorman did well to chase down Stella and deny her a hat-trick. A Kinghan turnover penalty led to a purposeful attack that had O’Connor threatening down the left wing.

The girls in green kept the pressure on, with Miranda Miralles seeing yellow for a high tackle on O’Connor. Whelan made an immediate impact off the bench, crashing over for a try via Gorman’s tap penalty inside Spain’s 22.

The Old Belvedere and Leinster scrum half continued to catch the eye, winning a penalty and taking it quickly to put Spain the back foot. Her inviting pass out to the right sent Corrigan over from 10 metres out. Gorman converted crisply and suddenly the deficit was just 19-14.

Kinghan went close to regaining possession from the restart, yet Spain then struck for their match-winning score. Teenager Goreti Barrutieta’s clever footwork, coupled with her speed and a strong fend, took her clear of Corrigan to dot down with 100 seconds remaining.

Miranda Miralles returned to bring las Leonas Sevens back up to their full complement, and Ireland’s hopes of a late response were ended when experienced forward Olivia Fresneda forced a turnover penalty just past the final hooter.

With one point picked up in Perth, the Ireland Women remain eighth in the SVNS Series table ahead of the Vancouver Sevens on February 21-23. For more information, please visit www.svns.com. Tickets for Vancouver are available to purchase here.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (HSBC SVNS Series – HSBC SVNS Perth, HBF Park, Perth, Australia, Friday, January 24-Sunday, January 26, 2025):

Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC)
Ellen Boylan (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) *
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC) (capt)
Hannah Clarke (Tuam/Oughterard RFC/Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC)
Alanna Fitzpatrick (Portarlington RFC/Blackrock College RFC)
Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Lucinda Kinghan (Railway Union RFC/Ulster)
Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) *
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster) *
Robyn O’Connor (Wexford Wanderers RFC/Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Ellie O’Sullivan Sexton (Old Belvedere RFC)
Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) *

* Denotes uncapped player

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Results – HSBC SVNS Series – Perth:

Friday, January 24 –

POOL A:

JAPAN 14 IRELAND 7, HBF Park
Scorers: Japan: Tries: Chiaki Saegusa, Suzuha Okamoto; Cons: Hana Nagata 2
Ireland: Try: Robyn O’Connor; Con: Kate Farrell McCabe
HT: Japan 7 Ireland 7

Team: Lucinda Kinghan, Kathy Baker, Katie Corrigan, Robyn O’Connor, Megan Burns (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Hannah Clarke.

Replacements used: Alanna Fitzpatrick, Katie Whelan, Clare Gorman, Alanna McInerney. Not used: Ellen Boylan.

NEW ZEALAND 46 IRELAND 0, HBF Park
Scorers: New Zealand: Tries: Risi Pouri-Lane 2, Dhys Faleafaga 2, Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Katelyn Vahaakolo, Manaia Nuku, Kelsey Teneti; Cons: Risi Pouri-Lane 3
Ireland: –
HT: New Zealand 31 Ireland 0

Team: Lucinda Kinghan, Kathy Baker, Katie Corrigan, Katie Whelan, Megan Burns (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Hannah Clarke.

Replacements used: Clare Gorman, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Robyn O’Connor, Ellen Boylan, Lucia Linn.

Saturday, January 25 –

POOL A:

IRELAND 5 BRAZIL 26, HBF Park
Scorers: Ireland: Try: Lucinda Kinghan
Brazil: Tries: Thalia Costa 2, Thalita da Silva Costa, Yasmin Soares; Cons: Marina Nicolau 2, Raquel Kochhann
HT: Ireland 5 Brazil 14

Team: Lucinda Kinghan, Kathy Baker, Clare Gorman, Robyn O’Connor, Megan Burns (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Hannah Clarke.

Replacements used: Alanna Fitzpatrick, Alana McInerney, Katie Corrigan, Katie Whelan, Ellen Boylan.

9TH PLACE SEMI-FINAL:

FIJI 24 IRELAND 7, HBF Park
Scorers: Fiji: Tries: Sera Bolatini, Vika Nakacia, Mereula Torooti, Sesenieli Donu; Cons: Kelerayani Luvu 2
Ireland: Try: Hannah Clarke; Con: Kate Farrell McCabe
HT: Fiji 12 Ireland 7

Team: Ellen Boylan, Kathy Baker, Clare Gorman, Robyn O’Connor, Megan Burns (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Hannah Clarke.

Replacements used: Lucinda Kinghan, Katie Whelan, Alanna Fitzpatrick, Alana McInerney. Not used: Lucia Linn.

Sunday, January 26 –

11TH PLACE PLAY-OFF:

IRELAND 12 SPAIN 24, HBF Park
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Katie Whelan, Katie Corrigan; Con: Clare Gorman
Spain: Tries: Juana Stella 2, Abril Camacho Ruiz, Goreti Barrutieta; Cons: Juana Stella 2
HT: Ireland 0 Spain 19

Team: Lucia Linn, Ellen Boylan, Clare Gorman, Robyn O’Connor, Megan Burns (capt), Kate Farrell McCabe, Alanna Fitzpatrick.

Replacements used: Lucinda Kinghan, Katie Corrigan, Hannah Clarke, Katie Whelan, Alana McInerney.