Ireland 29 New Zealand 27
Ireland’s women stunned New Zealand in the early hours of Monday morning with a late kick that bounced off the far upright before going over to earn a famous 29-27 win at the WXV1 tournament in Vancouver.
“I don’t think it has really sunk in yet,” said Ireland’s Dorothy Wall after the match.
The sides had played twice before, Ireland winning at the 2014 Rugby World Cup and New Zealand beating the host two years later in Dublin.
Outhalf Dannah O’Brien’s conversion after Erin King had come off the bench to muscle over in the 78th minute for her second try of the match sealed the win in a nail-biting end to a game that swung both ways throughout the 80 minutes.
Although New Zealand had time for a restart after O’Brien’s winning kick, the ball did not travel the required 10 metres before it was kicked dead from the scrum, triggering the entire Irish bench to pour onto the pitch in celebration.
“Everyone had an impact on today. We had to believe in what we were going to do. It’s mad, it’s crazy where we have come in two years,” added Wall. “To beat the Black Ferns in WXV1 is something we have dreamed of.
“The likes of Erin King scoring two tries, Dannah kicking the conversion. It’s insane stuff the belief we have in this squad. We were prepared to be in these moments. We were prepared for that scenario. We all knew what the plan was and we delivered.
“We will enjoy it,” added Wall before Ireland face a short turn six-day around and Canada next Saturday night (11.45pm Irish time). “It is not often you beat the Black Ferns. We’ll be sore now tomorrow, but we’ll enjoy tonight and get back to work Monday, Tuesday and be ready for the Canadians.”
Afterwards a bewildered New Zealand were left to contemplate where they stand ahead of defending their World Cup title next year in England. The Black ferns have won the last two World Cups and six out of the last seven.
“I’m proud of a lot of the effort – it wasn’t through lack of trying. It was a really hungry Irish side and they put it all out there. I’m disappointed but back to the drawing board and we will try to stay up for the next couple of games,” said Black Ferns Kennedy Tukuafu. “We need to minimise the errors and get the ball to space.”
New Zealand had two tries ruled out by the TMO but Irish tenacity and belief paid off with New Zealand’s defence looking porous at times, especially on their line as Ireland ran in five tries.
Aoife Wafer went over for the first of her two tries early in the game, her second coming on the half hour before Gloucester-Hartpury hooker Neve Jones touched down before the break to give Ireland a 17-10 lead.
By half time New Zealand had drawn level with Katelyn Vahaakolo scoring and Renee Holmes adding the conversion for 17-17. Holmes then put New Zealand in the lead with a penalty just before the hour.
Ireland rallied, despite losing Niamh O’Dowd to the sinbin, and King’s first try saw them regain the lead. But New Zealand punched back with Mererangi Paul sweeping in and Holmes again kicking for a five-point lead.
As the seconds ticked down Ireland threw bodies at the line before King found an gap and wriggled over, O’Brien holding her nerve to kick for the win.
“It’s pretty indescribable to be honest,” said Wafer. “It will definitely take a little while for this to set in because we still have a big few weeks ahead. We are now competing in WXV1 so we’ve Canada up next and then the USA.
“As a kid growing up in rugby I have dreamed of this day. I’ve dreamed of facing the Haka, beating the Black Ferns and we’ve done that here today. I’m so proud of everyone in out squad. The girls like to give me the ball a little bit and I just try and run through a brick wall for them.
“Two big weeks next,” she added. “We’ve Canada up first who beat the Black Ferns earlier this year then we’ll go to the USA, who put up a really good fight against England today, so yeah we have big weeks coming up and we are here to compete.”
Ireland: S Flood (Railway Union RFC); E Considine (UL Bohemian RFC/Munster), A Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), E Breen (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), AL Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC/Munster); D O’Brien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), M Scuffil-McCabe (Leinster); N O’Dowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), N Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), L Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), D Wall (Exeter Chiefs/Munster), F Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster), A Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), E McMahon (Exeter Chiefs/Connacht) (capt), B Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster). Replacements: E Higgins (Railway Union RFC) for Dalton (10-23 mins), C Moloney (Exeter Chiefs) for Jones, E King (Old Belvedere RFC) for McMahon, Higgins for Dalton, E Lane (Blackrock College RFC) for Scuffil-McCabe (all 48 mins), S McCarthy (Gloucester-Hartpury/Munster) for Tuite (53-63), G Moore (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby) for Tuite (68). Not used: A Stock (Trailfinders Women/IQ Rugby), V Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC).
New Zealand: R Holmes; R Tui, S Brunt, A du Plessis, K Vahaakolo; R Demant (cc), M Joseph; M Parkes, A Lolohea, A Rule; C Bremner, M Roos; L Sae, K Tukuafu (cc), L Mikaele-Tu’u. Replacements:: L Connor for Lolohea, C Viliko for Parkes, T Kalounivale for Rule (all 44 mins), A Bremner for C Bremner, L Jenkins for Tukuafu, M Paul for Tui (all 51), I Hohaia for Joseph (56), H King for Demant (71).
Referee: Sara Cox.