Irish Rugby | Ireland Women’s 15s: Five To Rewind

With a change of coaches following a difficult Six Nations campaign, the Ireland Women’s team built momentum in the Dubai heat by winning the inaugural WXV3 title. We look back on some of their biggest games of 2023 below:

WXV3 – IRELAND v SPAIN, October 2023

IRELAND 15 SPAIN 13, The Sevens Stadium Pitch 2, Dubai
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Grace Moore, Neve Jones; Con: Dannah O’Brien; Pen: Dannah O’Brien
Spain: Try: Claudia Peña Hidalgo; Con: Amalia Argudo; Pens: Amalia Argudo 2
HT: Ireland 3 Spain 13

IRELAND: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (co-capt), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) (co-capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements used: Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Scuffil-McCabe (45 mins), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for McMahon (47-53), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for McMahon (53), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Moore (67), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Behan, McGrath for Haney (both 72), Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs) for Jones, Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Wall (both 76). Not used: Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster).

SPAIN: Amalia Argudo; Claudia Pérez Pérez, Claudia Peña Hidalgo, Zahia Perez, Clara Piquero; Ines Bueso-Inchausti, Maider Aresti Felix; Ines Antolinez Fernandez, Cristina Blanco Herrera (capt), Laura Delgado, Anna Puig, Carmen Castellucci, Vico Gorrochategui Juste, Alba Capell, Maria Calvo.

Replacements used: Maria del Castillo for Antolinez Fernandez, Sidorella Bracic Rodriguez for Delgado (both 54 mins), Julia Castro for Aresti Felix, Tecla Masoko Bueriberi for Pérez Pérez, Nadina Cisa for Puig, Alba Vinuesa for Bueso-Inchausti (all 71), Maria Roman Mallen for Blanco Herrera (74). Not used: Beatriz Rivera.

Referee: Doriane Domenjo (France)

TIKTOK WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS – ITALY v IRELAND, April 2023

ITALY WOMEN 24 IRELAND WOMEN 7, Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi, Parma
Scorers: Italy: Tries: Sofia Stefan, Alyssa D’Incà 2; Cons: Michela Sillari 3; Pen: Michela Sillari
Ireland: Try: Penalty try; Con: Penalty try con
HT: Italy 7 Ireland 0

ITALY: Valsugana Rugby Padova), Alyssa D’Incà (Villorba Rugby); Veronica Madia (Rugby Colorno), Sofia Stefan (Valsugana Rugby Padova) (capt); Gaia Maris (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Vittoria Vecchini (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Lucia Gai (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Sara Tounesi (Sale Sharks), Giordana Duca (Valsugana Rugby Padova), Francesca Sgorbini (ASM Romagnat), Isabella Locatelli (Rugby Colorno), Giada Franco (Rugby Colorno).Replacements used: Valeria Fedrighi (Stade Toulousain) for Sgorbini (56 mins), Emma Stevanin (Valsugana Rugby Padova) for Madia (63), Sara Seye (Transvecta Calvisano) for Gai (67), Sara Barattin (Villorba Rugby) for Capomaggi (68), Alissa Ranuccini (Rugby Colorno) for Locatelli (70), Emanuela Stecca (Villorba Rugby) for Maris, Laura Gurioli (Villorba Rugby) for Tounesi (both 79). Not used: Alice Cassaghi (Cus Milano Rugby).

IRELAND: Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) for Haney (52 mins), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Hughes (56), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Wall (59), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Behan (61), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Moore (65), Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby) for Jones (70), Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster) for Dalton (76), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for Djougang (79).

Referee: Aurélie Groizeleau (France)

WXV3 – IRELAND v COLOMBIA, October 2023

IRELAND 64 COLOMBIA 3, The Sevens Stadium Pitch 2, Dubai
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Neve Jones 2, Natasja Behan, Grace Moore, Méabh Deely, Brittany Hogan, Edel McMahon, Béibhinn Parsons 2, Leahy Tarpey; Cons: Dannah O’Brien 5, Méabh Deely 2
Colombia: Pen: Maria I. Arzuaga
HT: Ireland 38 Colombia 0

IRELAND: Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (co-capt), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) (co-capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).

Replacements used: Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for Haney, Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Corri, Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Dalton (all 53 mins), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Reilly, Clara Barrett (UL Bohemian RFC/Connacht) for O’Brien (both 61), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) for Hogan (62), Sarah Delaney (Cill Dara RFC/Leinster) for Jones, Niamh O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster) for Djougang (both 70).

COLOMBIA: Leidy García; Melisa Rois Mena, Maribel Mestra, Luisa Fernanda Zurique, Angie Manyoma; Camila Lopera (capt), Stefania Sarmiento; Maria Antonia Cortes, Silvia Olave, Gisel Gomez, Sara Velez, Valentina Álvarez, Valentina Yepes Pena, Angela Alzate, Laura Gutierrez.

Replacements used: Natalia Barajas for Cortes, Carolina Naranjo for Gomez, Laura Villota Noguera for Sarmiento (all half-time), Maria I. Arzuaga for Mestra (56 mins), Natalia Caisedo for Olave, Daniela Roman Quintero for Alvarez, Valeria Muñoz for Alzate, Sofia Granados Cardenas for Lopera (all 65).

Referee: Ano Kuwai (Japan)

TIKTOK WOMEN’S SIX NATIONS – SCOTLAND v IRELAND, April 2023

SCOTLAND 36 IRELAND 10, DAM Health Stadium
Scorers: Scotland: Tries: Meryl Smith, Lana Skeldon, Leah Bartlett, Francesca McGhie, Rachel Malcolm, Chloe Rollie; Cons: Helen Nelson 3
Ireland: Try: Nichola Fryday; Con: Dannah O’Brien; Pen: Dannah O’Brien
HT: Scotland 5 Ireland 3

SCOTLAND: Chloe Rollie (Loughborough Lightning); Coreen Grant (Saracens), Emma Orr (Heriot’s), Meryl Smith (University of Edinburgh), Francesca McGhie (Watsonians); Helen Nelson (Loughborough Lightning), Mairi McDonald (Exeter Chiefs); Leah Bartlett (Loughborough Lightning), Lana Skeldon (Worcester Warriors), Christine Belisle (Loughborough Lightning), Jade Konkel-Roberts (Harlequins), Louise McMillan (Saracens), Rachel Malcolm (Loughborough Lightning) (capt), Rachel McLachlan (Sale Sharks), Evie Gallagher (Worcester Warriors).

Replacements used: Caity Mattinson (Worcester Warriors) for McDonald (56 mins), Eva Donaldson (University of Edinburgh) for McMillan, Eilidh Sinclair (Exeter Chiefs) for McLachlan (both 71), Anne Young (Sale Sharks) for Bartlett, Jodie Rettie (Saracens) for Skeldon, Elliann Clarke (University of Edinburgh) for Belisle, Beth Blacklock (Harlequins) for Grant, Liz Musgrove (Wasps) for McGhee (all 76).

IRELAND: Lauren Delany (Sale Sharks/IQ Rugby); Aoife Doyle (Railway Union RFC/Munster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Vicky Irwin (Sale Sharks/Ulster), Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster); Dannah O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury/Ulster), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Nichola Fryday (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Deirbhile Nic a Bháird (Old Belvedere RFC/Munster).

Replacements used: Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) for Moore (15 mins), Anna McGann (Railway Union RFC/Connacht) for Irwin (50), Ailsa Hughes (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Scuffil-McCabe (58), Hannah O’Connor (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Hogan (64), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for Haney (68), Méabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Doyle (69), Kathryn Buggy (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) for Djougang, Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs/IQ Rugby) for Jones (both 76).

Referee: Sara Cox (England)

WXV3 – IRELAND v KAZAKHSTAN, October 2023

IRELAND 109 KAZAKHSTAN 0, The Sevens Stadium Pitch 2, Dubai
Scorers: Ireland: Tries: Christy Haney, Méabh Deely, Eve Higgins 4, Linda Djougang, Béibhinn Parsons 4, Molly Scuffil-McCabe, Grace Moore, Aoife Dalton 2, Brittany Hogan, Sarah Delaney; Cons: Dannah O’Brien 6, Nicole Fowley 6
Kazakhstan: –
HT: Ireland 50 Kazakhstan 0

Replacements used: Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Behan, Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Monaghan (both half-time), Nicole Fowley (Galwegians RFC/Connacht) for O’Brien, Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Scuffil-McCabe (both 50 mins), Sadhbh McGrath (MU Barnhall/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for Djougang (52), Maeve Óg O’Leary (Blackrock College RFC/Munster) for Moore, Megan Collis (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Haney (both 63), Sarah Delaney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Jones (69).

KAZAKHSTAN: Gulim Bakytbek; Liliya Kibisheva, Lyudmila Ivanova, Darya Tkachyova, Alyona Melnikova; Kundyzay Baktybayeva, Daiana Kazibekova; Natalya Kamendrovskaya, Moldir Askhat, Tatyana Dadajanova, Ann Chebotar, Darya Simakova, Tatyana Kruchinkina, Karina Sazontova (capt), Symbat Zhamankulova.

Replacements used: Irina Balabina for Simakova (40 mins), Karina Tankisheva for Kamendrovskaya (51), Svetlana Malezhina for Melnikova (56), Daria Kuznetsova for Ivanova (75), Balzhan Akhbayeva for Zhamankulova (79), Yuliya Oleinikova for Chebotar (80). Not used: Yelena Yurova, Kuralay Turalykova.

Referee: Doriane Domenjo (France)