Ireland Set Up Final Clash With Zimbabwe
Ireland came back from a 10-5 half-time deficit to beat a durable Hong Kong side and qualify for the Bowl final at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai. Jon Skurr’s charges will meet Zimbabwe in the decider at 6.30pm local time/2.30pm Irish time.
2009 RUGBY WORLD CUP SEVENS: BOWL SEMI-FINAL: Saturday, March 7
HONG KONG 15 IRELAND 22, Pitch 1, Dubai Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Hong Kong: Tries: Thomas McQueen 2, Rowan Varty
Ireland: Tries: Gary Brown, Tom Gleeson, Brian Carney 2; Con: Tom Gleeson
Jon Skurr’s Ireland side have progressed through to the Bowl final at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai.
The men in green were left trailing by 10-5 at half-time in a very competitive semi-final clash with Hong Kong.
Thomas McQueen blazed through to bookend the opening half with two impressive tries for Hong Kong.
They were both unconverted, however, and Ireland stayed in the hunt thanks to a sixth-minute try from Leinster’s Gary Brown.
The Irish had struggled for possession in the opening period but they got a timely try, two minutes after the restart, when Munster hopeful Tom Gleeson finished off a lively attack with a try.
Gleeson’s missed conversion left it 10-10 but Ireland soon piled on the pressure.
Munster winger Brian Carney, who was brought on from the bench, cantered through for two well-taken tries, the second of which was converted by Gleeson.
Bagging a late try, Rowan Varty had the final say for Hong Kong but Skurr’s men were out of sight by that stage and already contemplating the Bowl decider.
Praising his team-mates afterwards, Carney said: “The lads have done all the hard work – coming on at the end is the easy part. It’s tough going in this weather!”
HONG KONG: Mark Wright, Mark Goosen, Rowan Varty, Thomas McQueen, Kenzo Pannell, Keith Robertson, John Glenda-Charles.
Replacements: Nicholas Hurrell, Anthony Haynes, Andrew Chambers, Jeff Chun Kiu Wong, Alex McQueen.
IRELAND: Kyle Tonetti (Blackrock College – Leinster), James Coughlan (Dolphin – Munster), Paul Marshall (Belfast Harlequins – Ulster), Felix Jones (Old Belvedere – Leinster), Brian Tuohy (Cornish Pirates), Tom Gleeson (Cork Constitution – Munster), Gary Brown (Blackrock College – Leinster).
Replacements: Eoghan Grace (Shannon – Munster), Kieran Campbell (Galwegians – Connacht), Brian Carney (Clonakilty – Munster), Conan Doyle (Garryowen – Munster), Daniel Riordan (Buccaneers – Connacht).
Ireland Sevens Management –
Hugh McCaughey – Manager
Jon Skurr – Coach
Simon Harland – Physiotherapist
Fergal O’Callaghan – Fitness
Ashley Blair – Masseuse
Vinny Hammond – Video Analyst
Ireland Match Schedule Rugby World Cup Sevens –
Ireland 5 Samoa 35 – Match Report
Ireland 24 Australia 21 – Match Report
Ireland 5 Portugal 17 – Match Report
Ireland 24 Arabian Gulf 5 – Match Report
Match Day 3:
Saturday, March 7, 2009 FINAL DAY
10.30pm Men’s Quarter-Finals
5.08pm Men’s Semi-Finals
6.30pm Men’s Bowl Final
7.30pm Men’s Plate Final
8.35pm Men’s Cup Final
9.30pm Closing Ceremony
* All times are local/Ireland is four hours behind