Ireland Women Begin Season With Semi-Final Appearance At Dubai 7s

James Topping’s young side finished as runners-up in Pool B, having beaten Sweden (46-0) and the Lydon Vaquita Hammerheads (17-12) and drawn with both Poland (12-12) and the Springbok Women’s Sevens ‘A’ team (17-17).

Australia ‘A’, the eventual champions, proved too strong in Sunday’s Cup semi-final stage, ending Ireland’s title hopes with a 29-0 defeat, but it was still an encouraging start to the 2025/26 campaign for the Megan Burns-led group.

There were debuts in the green jersey for Ulster’s Niamh Marley, who only took up rugby in 2022, and Galwegians and Connacht centre Orla Dixon, who made three starts as a combative forward in the desert heat.

Aoife Corey, an Ireland 15s debutant last April, also featured at the Dubai event, along with nine players who are centrally contracted with the Women’s High Performance Programme, including three of last year’s Olympians, Burns, Kathy Baker, and Amy Larn.

Larn and in-form UL Bohemian winger Alana McInerney were the leading try scorers with four each. Burns, Kate Farrell McCabe, and Robyn O’Connor all touched down twice, and Corey and Katie Corrigan both crossed against Sweden.

Day one began with a tight tussle with Poland, a national programme that has made great strides in recent seasons on the Rugby Europe Sevens scene. They broke away to lead early on but Ireland were quick to respond.

Larn did really well to shake off a tackle near halfway and speed clear for her first try of the tournament. A quickly-taken penalty allowed Poland to hit back just before half-time, taking a 12-5 lead.

Burns led a good defensive showing from Ireland on the restart, and they capitalised on a subsequent Polish sin-binning. Larn took off on a 50-metre burst to the try-line, having been invited through a gap by Burns’ neat switch.

It remained 12 points apiece with Farrell McCabe missing the difficult conversion from out wide. Burns put in an important tackle soon after, and both Lucia Linn and Larn did likewise during the closing stages, meaning the sides shared the spoils.

Corrigan crossed inside the opening 30 seconds against Sweden, set up by UL Bohs and Munster duo Corey and McInerney. Corey then used a strong fend, following a McInerney pass, to make it 12-0.

Farrell McCabe used a knock-on advantage to put McInerney over in the fifth minute, and the Ennis native swiftly doubled her tally, powering over from an O’Connor pass, with Farrell McCabe adding a precise conversion.

Despite a yellow card for Linn, Ireland tagged on a fifth try to lead by 29 points at half-time. Farrell McCabe tapped a penalty and scampered out to the right, feeding McInerney who showed the finishing skills that have made her the Energia All-Ireland League’s current top try scorer.

Katie Whelan’s kick chase, and a scrum penalty, set the wheels in motion for Farrell McCabe to score early on the resumption. A Linn turnover saw Whelan go close, before quick ball allowed Burns to reach over from close range.

There was no stopping Burns from 40 metres out during the last play, as she picked up try number eight. Dixon’s well-won turnover had led to a midfield scrum, and the Swedish defence was cut open for a final converted effort, and a 46-0 scoreline.

Ireland kicked off Saturday’s schedule against the Lydon Vaquita Hammerheads, an invitational team with players drawn from a number of countries, including Harlequins’ Amy Layzell, who made her Ireland Sevens debut last summer.

Spain’s Anne Fernández de Corres, Maria Garcia, and Olivia Fresneda featured as well, and a tightly-contested first half was scoreless for a good while with both teams maintaining their shape in defence and making their tackles.

The Hammerheads lost Denisse Gortazar to the sin bin, following her tip tackle on Farrell McCabe. Whelan broke from the subsequent scrum, and Baker supplied the final pass for Farrell McCabe to go in under the posts and add the conversion herself.

Richie Williams’ invitational side pulled back five points, leaving it 7-5 heading into the final seven minutes. Ireland resumed in strong fettle, and Larn did not have to break stride as a crisp Burns pass put her darting clear to score on a 50-metre run-in.

Gortazar replied for the Hammerheads, bouncing off a tackle and showing her speed to make it 12-all. However, Larn scored straight from the restart, streaking away down the right for a well-taken match winner.

Ireland were quickest out of the blocks against the Springbok Sevens ‘A’ team. Using Corey’s turnover, O’Connor bounced up out of a tackle to score after her initial sidestepping surge from the edge of the opposition 22.

The Wexford speedster added a second try, midway through the first half. Burns won the breakdown battle, launching her side forward again. Baker tapped a penalty closer in, and the pressure led to O’Connor striking from a few metres out. Burns converted.

McInerney stretched the Irish advantage to 17 points when they reloaded back to the left side of the pitch. Gathering a pass on her own 10-metre line, she used her power and pace to break in between two defenders, and evaded a third for a terrific solo score.

The South African outfit managed to avoid a further concession, with McInerney brought down short. They upped their game in attack for the second half, with a quick-fire try from Vianca Boer getting them on the board.

Shannon-Lee Windvogel was lightning-quick with her finish for their second try, converted by Byrhandré Dolf. Ireland’s lead was down to five points at that stage, and it remained that way with replacement Whelan’s promising break unfortunately resulting in a knock-on.

There were still just enough time for the Springbok ‘A’ side to draw level right at the death. Their captain Shiniqwa Lamprecht won the race to score from her own kick through. Dolf’s conversion from the right missed the target.

Ireland fell behind early on against Australia ‘A’, who were boosted by the presence of Maya Stewart, the 2024 Wallaroos Player of the Year. Olympians Bridget Clark and Kahli Henwoo were amongst five members of the Australian Sevens squad included.

Burns got her side on the move with a turnover penalty, but the Australians won one of their own in the third minute. They worked the ball wide again for the free-scoring Stewart to leave the scoreboard showing 12-0.

Larn earned a penalty and then won the race to a long Farrell McCabe kick downfield. However, a penalty soon after proved costly, as the Australians moved the ball at pace to the right wing for a breakaway effort from Amelia Whitaker.

Into the second half, Ireland had some bright moments with McInerney making a break and Dixon winning another turnover in Australian territory. A forward pass from Corey halted their progress, though.

Having built a 19-0 lead, Australia ‘A’ bookended the closing seven minutes with two unnconverted scores. The second one was set up by a tap penalty in front of the Irish posts, as teenager Waiaria Ellis sniped over from close range.

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2025 Dubai 7s Women’s International Invitational Tournament, Emirates Dubai 7s, The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, UAE, Friday, November 28-Sunday, November 30, 2025):

Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Lucia Linn (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Niamh Marley (Cooke RFC/Ulster)
Orla Dixon (Galwegians RFC/Connacht)
Katie Whelan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Robyn O’Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (capt)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Blackrock College RFC/Ulster)
Amy Larn (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Aoife Corey (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)

IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS RESULTS – Dubai 7s Women’s Invitational Tournament:

Friday, November 28 –

POOL B:

IRELAND 12 POLAND 12, Pitch 5, The Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Amy Larn 2; Con: Megan Burns
HT: Ireland 5 Poland 12

Team: Kathy Baker, Orla Dixon, Alana McInerney, Katie Whelan, Megan Burns (capt), Aoife Corey, Amy Larn.

Replacements used: Kate Farrell McCabe, Robyn O’Connor, Lucia Linn, Katie Corrigan, Niamh Marley.

SWEDEN 0 IRELAND 46, Pitch 2, The Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Katie Corrigan, Aoife Corey, Alana McInerney 3, Kate Farrell McCabe, Megan Burns 2; Cons: Kate Farrell McCabe 3
HT: Sweden 0 Ireland 29

Team: Niamh Marley, Lucia Linn, Alana McInerney, Robyn O’Connor, Kate Farrell McCabe, Aoife Corey, Katie Corrigan.

Replacements used: Katie Whelan, Kathy Baker, Megan Burns (capt), Orla Dixon, Amy Larn.

Saturday, November 29 –

POOL B:

IRELAND 17 LYDON VAQUITA HAMMERHEADS 12, Pitch 8, The Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Kate Farrell McCabe, Amy Larn 2; Con: Kate Farrell McCabe
HT: Ireland 7 Lydon Vaquita Hammerheads 5

Team: Lucia Linn, Kathy Baker, Orla Dixon, Katie Whelan, Kate Farrell McCabe, Megan Burns (capt), Amy Larn.

Replacements used: Niamh Marley, Robyn O’Connor, Alana McInerney, Katie Corrigan, Aoife Corey.

SPRINGBOK SEVENS ‘A’ 17 IRELAND 17, Pitch 4, The Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Robyn O’Connor 2, Alana McInerney; Con: Megan Burns
HT: Springbok Sevens ‘A’ 0 Ireland 17

Team: Alana McInerney, Kathy Baker, Niamh Marley, Robyn O’Connor, Megan Burns (capt), Aoife Corey, Katie Corrigan.

Replacements used: Orla Dixon, Katie Whelan, Lucia Linn, Kate Farrell McCabe, Amy Larn.

Sunday, November 30 –

CUP SEMI-FINAL:

AUSTRALIA ‘A’ 29 IRELAND 0, Pitch 2, The Sevens Stadium
Scorers: Ireland: –
HT: Australia ‘A’ 19 Ireland 0

Team: Katie Corrigan, Lucia Linn, Orla Dixon, Katie Whelan, Kate Farrell McCabe, Megan Burns (capt), Amy Larn.

Replacements used: Robyn O’Connor, Alana McInerney, Niamh Marley, Aoife Corey.