| Ireland (50) 109 |
| Tries: Haney, Deely, Higgins 4, Djougang, Parsons 4, Scuffil-McCabe, Moore, Dalton 2, Hogan, Delaney Cons: O’Brien 6, Fowley 6 |
| Kazakhstan (0) 0 |
Ireland began their campaign in Tier 3 of the new WXV competition with a thumping 17-try 109-0 victory over Kazakhstan in Dubai on Friday.
Sevens stars Eve Higgins and Beibhinn Parsons marked their return to the XVs team for the first time since the 2022 Six Nations with four tries apiece.
Aoife Dalton touched down twice as the Irish laid down a benchmark to their rivals in the tournament’s bottom tier.
The match was new Ireland coach Scott Bemand’s first in charge.
Bemand was appointed in late July following Greg McWilliams’ departure after Ireland lost all of their Six Nations games in the spring.
Despite coming against much inferior opposition, the resounding victory over the Kazakhs will offer a boost to the Irish after a dismal 12 months which saw them fail to record a win.
The new WXV competition aims to offer annual fixtures for sides outside of World Cup years.
Ireland dominate from the start
Ireland took just two minutes to get the scoreboard ticking over when prop Christy Haney rumbled over and fly-half Dannah O’Brien kicked the first of her six conversions.
The scores continued to come thick and fast as Ireland added a further seven tries before the interval.
Meabh Deely completed a flowing move by diving over in the corner, then centre Higgins showed some nifty footwork and acceleration to go over for a fine individual try.
Linda Djougong stretched to dot down under the posts, before Connacht wing Parsons athletically caught the ball in the air and ran in try number five.
Higgins darted over for her second touchdown while scrum-half Molly Scuffil-McCabe showed some quick thinking to tap and go for her score.
Flanker Moore sprinted over as a rampant Ireland further increased their advantage on the stroke of half-time.
Second half surge
Higgins completed another exciting passage of play by skipping over for her hat-trick and then some slick handling helped Dalton cross for her opening try.
Another kick and go saw Parson register her second score, with Ulster number eight Brittany Hogan next to cross the whitewash when she barged over for her first international try.
Parsons went over twice in the final quarter, Dalton benefitted from some excellent offloading for her second and debutant Sarah Delaney’s try off the bench saw Ireland cross the ton mark.
Higgins ran in the final try and replacement Nicole Fowley matched O’Brien’s tally of six conversions after being introduced in the second half.
Ireland will play Colombia in their next match on 21 October, with Spain their final opponents in the competition seven days later.
Ireland: Meabh Deely; Natasja Behan, Eve Higgins, Aoife Dalton, Beibhinn Parsons; Dannah O’Brien, Molly Scuffil-McCabe; Linda Djougang, Neve Jones, Christy Haney; Dorothy Wall, Sam Monaghan; Grace Moore, Edel McMahon, Brittany Hogan.
Replacements: Sarah Delaney, Sadhbh McGrath, Megan Collis, Eimear Corri, Maeve Og O’Leary, Aoibheann Reilly, Nicole Fowley, Leah Tarpey.
Kazakhstan: Gulim Bakytbek, Liliya Kibisheva, Lyudmila Ivanova, Darya Tkachyova, Yeva Bekker, Kundyzay Baktybayeva, Daiana Kazibekova; Natalya Kamendrovskaya, Moldir Askhat, Tatyana Dadajanova, Ann Chebotar, Darya Simakova, Tatyana Kruchinkina, Karina Sazontova (captain), Symbat Zhamankulova.
Replacements: Yelena Yurova, Balzhan Akhbayeva, Karina Tankisheva, Yuliya Oleinikova, Daria Kuznetsova, Svetlana Malezhina, Alyona Melnikova, Kuralay Turalykova.
