Ireland Women’s 7s became the first IRFU 7s side to win a World Series title on Sunday when they defeated hosts Autralia in the final of the HSBC SVNS Series tournament in Perth.
A 13th-minute try from Eve Higgins ensured Ireland won 19-14 against World no. 1 Australia.
Australia opened the scoring but Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Captain Lucy Mulhall quickly responded, giving Ireland a comfortable 14-7 lead before the break, while Australia struggled with Charlotte Caslick’s sin-binning.
That lead was erased when Teagan Levi evaded Eve Higgins in the 9th minute.
Four nailbiting minutes later Beibhinn Parsons broke through into the opposition 22, setting up Higgins (fed by replacement Aoibheann Reilly) for the crucial final try.
Ireland’s magnificent performance in the final was foreshadowed by a dominant 31-7 semi-final victory over Great Britain, in which Mulhall scored two tries.
It’s a bright start to the year of Ireland Women’s 7s’ Olympic debut and a historic achievement for the team, whose celebrations on the pitch were rightly ecstatic.
A victory that speaks louder than any words! 🤩🥇#HSBCSVNS | #HSBCSVNSPER | @Ireland7s pic.twitter.com/7rpsQQV4Ww
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) January 28, 2024