This summer's Rugby Europe Women's Sevens Championship Series is set for an exciting climax this weekend, with Ireland bidding to improve on their sixth place finish in Hamburg.
Eve Higgins, Emily Lane, Robyn O'Connor, and Vicky Elmes Kinlan, who all played for Ireland during this year's Guinness Women's Six Nations, are back in Sevens action for James Topping's side.
Stacey Flood unfortunately had to withdraw from the squad, but Chisom Ugwueru has taken her place and already got on the scoresheet as the girls in green lead the way in Pool A.
They kicked things off with a clinical 33-5 victory over Czechia, during which captain Megan Burns crossed twice, and doubled their win tally with a 43-5 success against Türkiye.
The pool decider is against France tomorrow morning (kick-off 11.50am local time/10.50am Irish time). There will be live coverage on www.rugbyeurope.tv and Rugby Europe's YouTube channel.
Ireland grabbed the lead against Czechia inside the opening minute, as Faith Oviawe carried hard after scooping up a loose Czech lineout, and Higgins used a clever dummy to scoot in behind the posts.
Burns made it 14-0 by the five-minute mark. Alanna Fitzpatrick provided the injection of pace from first receiver off a scrum, Higgins was up in support, and Burns' neat footwork opened a path to the try-line.
Czechia enjoyed a purple patch close to half-time, extending the first half to over 10 minutes as they held onto the ball and forced penalties. Veronika Bolfova broke free to close the gap to nine points.
After absorbing some early second-half penalties, Alana McInerney's interception allowed Ireland to dart downfield. Lane's elusive run set up Kathy Baker to score an unconverted effort.
Katie Corrigan made certain of the result, being the benificiary of Lane's initial break from deep, with fellow replacement Clare Gorman converting for a 26-5 lead.
A fifth try was added past the final hooter, as Corrigan and McInerney wore down the defence, and Burns prized open a gap to race clear from just inside her own half.
It took just under 30 seconds for Amy Larn to streak clear and put Ireland ahead against Türkiye. They swiftly doubled their try total, with Higgins landing both conversions.
Oviawe took play up to five metres out following a miscued Turkish kick. Gorman took a penalty quickly and fed O'Connor to go over from close range, making it 14-0.
Strong running from Gorman and Higgins preceded try number three, as possession was moved at pace and Corrigan was able to evade the clutches of Berivan Dilmac to touch down.
A tremendous individual try from Ugwueru closed out the first half. Cutting infield from over 60 metres out, she used her power to swat away three defenders - including a massive fend that flattened Nazlican Erdogan - before outpacing three chasers to the line.
26-0 became 33-0 soon after the restart as Higgins, having used a smart sidestep to evade a tackle, converted her own try.
A bulldozing run from outside the Turkish 22 saw McInerney crash over in the 10th minute, on the back of winning a turnover penalty.
Despite a brilliant try-saving tackle from Elmes Kinlan, who had been sprung from the bench, Türkiye used a turnover in the next phase to score in the corner through Ayca Akcinar.
However, Ireland cancelled out that score before the finish. Baker thundered clear to score from her own half, using a big hand-off to clear Dilmac out of the way.
IRELAND WOMEN'S SEVENS SQUAD (2026 Rugby Europe Women's Sevens Championship Series - Croatia 7s, Stadion Park Mladeži, Split, Croatia, Friday, July 24-Sunday, July 26):
Alana McInerney (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Alanna Fitzpatrick (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Amy Larn (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Chisom Ugwueru (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster)
Clare Gorman (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC/Munster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster)
Faith Oviawe (Railway Union RFC/Connacht)
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Katie Corrigan (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) (capt)
Robyn O'Connor (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC/Leinster)
IRELAND WOMEN'S SEVENS SCHEDULE - Croatia 7s Tournament:
Friday, July 24 -
POOL A:
IRELAND 33 CZECHIA 5, Stadion Park Mladeži, Split
Ireland: Tries: Eve Higgins, Megan Burns 2, Kathy Baker, Katie Corrigan; Cons: Eve Higgins 2, Clare Gorman 2
Czechia: Try: Veronika Bolfova
HT: Ireland 14 Czechia 5
Team: Faith Oviawe, Kathy Baker, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Eve Higgins, Megan Burns (capt), Alanna Fitzpatrick.
Replacements used: Robyn O'Connor, Alana McInerney, Clare Gorman, Katie Corrigan, Amy Larn.
IRELAND 43 TÜRKİYE 5, Stadion Park Mladeži, Split
Ireland: Tries: Amy Larn, Robyn O'Connor, Katie Corrigan, Chisom Ugwueru, Eve Higgins, Alana McInerney, Kathy Baker; Cons: Eve Higgins 3, Clare Gorman
Türkiye: Try: Ayca Akcinar
HT: Ireland 26 Türkiye 0
Team: Katie Corrigan, Robyn O'Connor, Faith Oviawe, Amy Larn, Clare Gorman, Eve Higgins (capt), Chisom Ugwueru.
Replacements used: Alana McInerney, Megan Burns, Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Emily Lane, Kathy Baker.
Saturday, July 25 -
POOL A:
FRANCE v IRELAND, Stadion Park Mladeži, Split, 11.50am local time/10.50am Irish time
Click here for the Croatia 7s results, fixtures & pool tables.
(Photos by Neil Kennedy and Travis Proctor via Rugby Europe)
