WRAP: Ireland capped a remarkable opening day of WXV 1 2024 with a memorable victory against New Zealand, while there were also wins for England and Canada in Vancouver on Sunday.
Flyhalf Dannah O’Brien was the Irish match-winner at BC Place, remaining calm to kick the conversion and claim a 29-27 triumph for her side after replacement Erin King had drawn the scores level with her second try.
Earlier, Ellie Kildunne scored two of the Red Roses’ nine tries as the defending champions kicked off their title defence with a 61-21 defeat of USA.
And there was delight too for the hosts, who ran in seven tries to continue their excellent form with a 46-24 victory against France.
USA 21-61 England
In the opening match of the day, England dominated territory and possession from the first whistle and took control of the match with two early tries.
First hooker Lark Atkin-Davies went over in the 12th minute following a well-worked line-out move and then Kildunne left the USA defence bamboozled to score an impressive solo try.
However, a piece of magic from Alev Kelter gave USA a foothold in the match as she gathered her own chip over the defence before evading the attention of two tacklers to dot down.
The Red Roses restored their 14-point advantage as Georgia Brock profited from a Kelter fumble with four minutes of the half remaining, before captain-for-the-day Alex Matthews marked the occasion with a fine finish.
That was not that for USA, who mounted something of a comeback at the start of the second half.
Kelter again and captain Kate Zackary touched down either side of a debut try for England’s Bo Westcombe-Evans to cut the Red Roses lead to 33-21 with 20 minutes to play.
But the Red Roses cut loose in the final quarter to run in a further four tries and take the game away from the Women’s Eagles.
Morwenna Talling, Jess Breach, Kildunne and Ella Wyrwas were the players to cross the American whitewash and add a great deal of gloss to the England victory.
Canada 46-24 France
The hosts got off to the perfect start at BC Place as a brilliant offload from Fancy Bermudez found Paige Farries to score inside four minutes.
Canada were pegged back shortly afterwards as Melissande Llorens crossed for France, and Chloe Jaquet added an impressive conversion, but retook the lead in the 23rd minute as Bermudez scored the first of her two tries.
In a see-saw first-half, Les Bleues responded through Marine Ménager, who marked her 50th cap with a try following a 50-22 and quick lineout from Lina Queyroi, to level things up again.
But the home side put daylight between the teams before the break as Laetitia Royer went over from close range and then Bermudez touched down her second try of the match to secure the bonus point.
That made the score 24-14 at half-time but it was France who struck first after the interval, Pauline Bourdon-Sansus’ mazy run drawing Les Bleues back within range.
However, that was about as good as it got for the French as Royer grabbed her second try of the match to restore Canada’s commanding lead.
And after Nassira Konde had secured a try bonus point for France, Canada made sure of the victory with late tries from Emily Tuttosi and Asia Hogan-Rochester, either side of an Alex Tessier penalty.
New Zealand 27-29 Ireland
New Zealand struck first in the final match of the day, hooker Atlanta Lolohea coming up with the ball at the back of a driving maul.
But quick thinking from Aoife Wafer soon afterwards allowed the Ireland flanker to burrow her way over from close range to get her side on the board.
And after the Black Ferns stretched their lead to 10-5 with a Renee Holmes penalty, Wafer struck again, this time peeling away from the base of an attacking scrum to power over.
Dannah O’Brien edged Ireland in front with the conversion and they extended that lead to 17-10 when hooker Neve Jones was awarded a try after consultation between referee Sara Cox and TMO Ian Tempest.
O’Brien missed the conversion though and that looked like it could be costly as New Zealand levelled on the stroke of half-time, Katelyn Vahaakolo supplying the finish and Holmes adding her second conversion.
Holmes edged the Black Ferns in front midway through the second half with a penalty while Niamh O’Dowd was in the sin bin.
However, those would be the only points New Zealand scored while Ireland were down to 14 players and it was the Irish who struck next when back up to 15.
King got the ball over after more good work from Wafer and even after Mererangi Paul had stretched out to help put the Black Ferns back in front, Ireland weren’t to be denied.
Again, it was King who burrowed over from close range and with the sores level at 27-27, O’Brien stepped up to win it from the tee.