Ireland were comfortable 37-3 winners over Kazakhstan in their final pool game at the Women’s Rugby World Cup, but just fell short of qualifying for the semi-finals for the first time.
IRB WOMEN’S RUGBY WORLD CUP: POOL B: Saturday, August 28
IRELAND WOMEN 37 KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN 3, Surrey Sports Park
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Niamh Briggs, Joy Neville 2, Louise Beamish, Orla Brennan, Eliza Downey, Kate O’Loughlin; Con: Niamh Briggs
Kazakhstan: Pen: Aigerym Daurembayeva
Saturday evening’s bonus point victory, a second in quick succession for Philip Doyle’s side, meant that the Irish joined Australia and Canada, the second-placed teams in Pool A and Pool C respectively, on ten points.
With the three pool winners and the best-placed second ranked side going through to the semi-finals, it was the Australians who progressed to the final four thanks to their superior points difference, topped up by a fine 62-0 final day triumph over South Africa.
Ireland are still on course for their best ever World Cup finish, however, and will enter next week’s 5th-8th place play-offs determined to pick up two more wins at the Surrey Sports Park venue.
Their next game is against the USA on Wednesday (kick-off 4.30pm), with the winners facing Canada or Scotland in the 5th-6th place play-off on Sunday, September 5.
The girls in green kicked off knowing they need to score 60 points or more to have any chance of making it to the semis, as well as hoping that the South Africans would keep Australia to a low enough score.
By the time the Ireland v Kazakhstan game started, Australia were already 10-0 up against South Africa but Doyle’s charges made a blistering start of their own when Eliza Downey’s surge helped set up full-back Niamh Briggs for a second minute try.
Kazakhstan then enjoyed a period of dominance when firstly winger Irina Amossova had a nice dart down the touchline and then centre Amina Baratova made 20 yards on a lively run.
Fiona Coghlan and her team-mates were forced to defend which is exactly how they did not want to spend the first half and although Kazakhstan never really looked like registering a try, their spell of possession ate up valuable minutes as Australia continued to take South Africa apart on the adjoining pitch.
Finally, the second Irish score came. A nice maul saw in-form number 8 Joy Neville drive over and Briggs landed a superb conversion for a 12-0 lead, with Ireland men’s coach Declan Kidney an interested spectator.
Kazakhstan out-half and captain Anna Yakovleva was then yellow carded for consistent infringements and Ireland made their opponents pay immediately, scrum half Louise Beamish scrambling over the line for another score.
Hard-working flanker Orla Brennan then got Ireland’s bonus point-clinching try after a lovely break from centre Joanne O’Sullivan put her away.
Kazakhstan replied with their first points of the tournament when full-back Aigerym Daurembayeva kicked a penalty to leave it at 22-3 for half-time.
Winger Downey got the second half off to an encouraging start for the Irish with a try after just a minute, the eagerness to rack up the points now obvious on both pitches.
Kazakhstan though were now throwing the towel in and a burst from Daurembayev almost led to a try, with Ireland’s scrambling defence doing just enough to clear the danger.
As Australia added to their dominance on the pitch next door, Ireland continued to make hard work of turning pressure into points – the Kazakhs doing their best to make life difficult at the breakdown.
It was disheartening for the travelling Irish fans who could see who the better team was but Kazakhstan were desperate to avoid another pasting after suffering two heavy losses to England and the USA.
Ireland’s frustrations were further compounded when they lost out-half Helen Brosnan to injury but eventually they broke through when lock Kate O’Loughlin pushed the score out to 32-3.
The all-action Neville then notched her fourth try in two games as she crashed over to make sure Ireland ended on a high.
Despite not making the semi-finals, the girls in green now have an excellent shot at finishing higher at a World Cup than ever before, with fifth place still in their sights.
For all the latest Women’s Rugby World Cup news, reaction and reports, visit www.scrumqueens.com.
TIME LINE: 2 minutes – Ireland try: Niamh Briggs – 5-0; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 5-0; 16 mins – Ireland try: Joy Neville – 10-0; conversion: Niamh Briggs – 12-0; 22 mins – Kazakhstan yellow card: Anna Yakovleva; 24 mins – Ireland try: Louise Beamish – 17-0; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 17-0; 32 mins – Ireland try: Orla Brennan – 22-0; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 22-0; 40 mins – Kazakhstan penalty: Aigerym Daurembayeva – 22-3; Half-time – Ireland 22 Kazakhstan 3; 42 mins – Ireland try: Eliza Downey – 27-3; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 27-3; 63 mins – Ireland try: Kate O’Loughlin – 32-3; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 32-3; 68 mins – Ireland try: Joy Neville – 37-3; conversion: missed by Niamh Briggs – 37-3; Full-time – Ireland 37 Kazakhstan 3
IRELAND WOMEN: Niamh Briggs; Amy Davis, Joanne O’Sullivan, Lynne Cantwell, Eliza Downey; Helen Brosnan, Louise Beamish; Fiona Coghlan (capt), Gillian Bourke, Louise Austin, Kate O’Loughlin, Marie Louise Reilly, Orla Brennan, Claire Molloy, Joy Neville.
Replacements used: Carol Staunton for Brennan (50 mins), Sinead Ryan for Molloy (53), Yvonne Nolan for Austin (56), Shannon Houston for Brosnan, Mairead Kelly for Davis (both 60), Laura Guest for Coghlan, Jackie Shiels for Briggs (both 72).
KAZAKHSTAN WOMEN: Aigerym Daurembayeva; Olga Sazonova, Valentina Nezbudey, Amina Baratova, Irina Amossova; Anna Yakovleva (capt), Anastassiya Khamova; Natalya Kamendrovskaya, Tatyana Ashikhmina, Olga Nikulich, Svetlana Karatygina, Olga Kumanikina, Alfiya Mustafina, Olessya Teryayeva, Irina Radzivil.
Replacements used: Marianna Balashova for Radzivil (31 mins), Farida Kalen for Ashikhmina (36), Tatyana Tur for Baratova (half-time), Svetlana Klyuchnikova for Khamova (61), Tatyana Pshenichnaya for Daurembayeva (64), Symbat Zhamankulova for Kumanikina, Kundyzay Baktybayeva for Mustafina (both 78).
Referee: Andrew McMenemy (Scotland)
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