Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
Ireland's Anna McGann comes up against Erica Coulibaly ad Kayla Canett of USA. Ben Brady/INPHO
From The 42Women's Rugby
Ireland let 17-0 lead slip as USA claim brilliant comeback win in Tallaght
Scott Bemand’s side dominated the first half but lost control in the second period.
IRELAND 36
USA 40
IRELAND’S WXV Global Series campaign got off to a disappointing start in Tallaght Stadium, as Scott Bemand’s side let a 17-0 lead slip to lose to the USA.
On a bright, breezy Sunday afternoon, Ireland made a blistering start and controlled the first hour of the game, only for the contest to completely flip on its head in the final 30 – the USA battling back with three unanswered tries.
In total, Ireland spent 63 minutes in the lead, only to lose a four-point game.
This was a superb win for a US side coached by Skerries man and former Canada women’s Sevens coach Jack Hanratty.
Ranked eighth in the world (Ireland are fifth), they arrived in Dublin as underdogs and after a slow start, fought back in impressive style – with their maul and power in the carry causing Ireland issues.
Scott Bemand’s side didn’t take long to take control of the game, racing into a commanding 17-0 lead inside the opening 20 minutes.
Vicky Elmes Kinlan opened the scoring just six minutes in.
After Ireland were held up over the line, a poor goal-line dropout gifted the hosts a strong attacking platform. Dannah O’Brien collected the kick and Aoife Wafter made the first carry, before excellent hands from hooker Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald sent Stacey Flood racing through. The fullback flung the ball wide and Elmes Kinlan did the rest.
With a testing swirling wind – and a new, smaller size 4.5 ball – O’Brien’s first conversion attempt was off target.
Playing confident, expansive rugby, Ireland kept the pressure on. Their second try arrived on 14 minutes, Moloney-MacDonald powering through from a strong driving maul. O’Brien stepped up and watched her conversion whack the near-side post.
Minutes later, Ireland had their third, Wafer touching down from close range following excellent work from the Ireland pack. O’Brien’s conversion good and Ireland were three tries clear following a dominant opening period in which they enjoyed 72% of the territory.
Slowly, the US started to work their way back into the contest.
Their opening try came from their first meaningful attack of the game, all of 24 minutes in. Following patient play and sustained pressure in the Ireland 22 – and with the hosts on their third penalty warning – captain Georgie Perris-Redding made the breakthrough, where her score converted by 19-year-old out-half Bella Vogel.
Ireland’s response was excellent, cancelling out the score with their fourth try just moments later. Anna McGann, on as a temporary HIA replacement for centre Aoife Dalton, burst through a gap and fended two defenders before shoving a sharp pass inside to Eve Higgins, who finished a fine move.
Just after the half-hour mark the US chipped back the deficit, Hope Rogers muscling over following a powerful carry off a lineout maul. Vogel’s shot struck the post.
Ireland had further opportunities to build on their lead before the break but couldn’t make it happen – O’Brien sending a kick to touch dead – and the home side took a 12-point lead into half time.
After a rare mistake from Flood – knocking on the restart – Ireland made a bright start to the second half and had their fifth try six minutes in, captain Erin King sniping from close after excellent work by the Ireland backs, with Dalton, O’Brien and Robyn O’Connor all involved, before O’Brien added the extras.
From there, the game lost some momentum, with both sides making a number of changes.
The US was getting some joy from their maul, but a surging push was ended as Wafer did excellently to get hands on the ball and force the turnover.
At the next attempt, Ireland were pushed back onto their tryline before hooker Kathryn Treder broke free to score, with Vogel kicking her second two-pointer of the day.
Enjoying something of a purple period, the USA built on that score just after the hour, as Hanratty’s team started making a greater dent in the collisions.
Replacement Erica Jarrell-Searcy showed good pace to break down the middle, Elmes Kinlan raced back to make the tackle, but was yellow-carded for not rolling away. The US pushed forward and Treder scored her second, with Vogel converting.
Ireland were losing control, lock Dorothy Wall warned for unnecessary contact on the leg at a ruck, and the US continued to keep Ireland under the pump in the 22. Ireland couldn’t hold out and lock Hallie Taufoou levelled the game. Vogel stepped up, kicked the extras and Ireland trailed by two.
The visitors were surging now, and it was going from bad to worse for Ireland. Number eight Freda Tafuna, who had been excellent throughout, finished a well-worked team move as the USA pulled clear, leading by nine with nine minutes to play.
Ireland were running out of time but gave themselves a chance when Wall scored as the clock hit 80, with O’Brien
However, with the final attack of the game Ireland turned the ball over and the USA killed the ball to end the game and claim a hugely impressive comeback win.
Ireland scorers:
Tries – Elmes Kinlan, Moloney-MacDonald, Wafer, Higgins, King, Wall
Conversion – O’Brien [3/6]
USA scorers:
Try – Perris-Redding, Vogers, Treder (2), Taufoou, Tafuna
Conversion – Vogel [5/6]
IRELAND: Stacey Flood; Robyn O’Connor, Aoife Dalton (Anna McGann, 19-30 HIA, 69), Eve Higgins, Vicky Elmes Kinlan; Dannah O’Brien, Emily Lane (Aoibheann Reilly, 50); Niamh O’Dowd, Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald (Neve Jones, 50), Linda Djougang (Eilís Cahill, 50); Dorothy Wall, Fiona Tuite-O’Sullivan; Jemima Adams Verling (Brittany Hogan, 50), Erin King (capt), Aoife Wafer.
Yellow card: Elmes Kinlan
US EAGLES: Kayla Canett; Telesi Uhatafe, Tessa Hann (Nina Mason, 51), Emily Henrich (Erica Jarrell-Searcy (co-capt), 51), Erica Coulibaly; Bella Vogel, Abigail Paton (Cassidy Bargell, 75); Hope Rogers (Reece Woods, 75), Kathryn Treder, Mae Sagapolu (Alivia Leatherman, 32); Hallie Taufoou, Rachel Ehrecke; Hann Humphreys (Kate Zackary, 69), Georgie Perris-Redding (co-capt) (Kapoina Bailey, 51), Freda Tafuna.
Referee: Maggie Cogger-Orr (NZR)
Written by Ciarán Kennedy and originally published on The 42 whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. Subscribe here.
have your say