Ireland women beat New Zealand for just the second time in their history

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Ireland’s Dannah O’Brien kicked the decisive conversion against New Zealand in the World Rugby Women’s WXV1 Round 1 match in Vancouver, Canada on 29/9/2024. Photograph: Travis Prior/©INPHO

While you were sleeping on Sunday night, Ireland women beat New Zealand for just the second time in their history, opening their WXV campaign in style in Vancouver. This victory over the world champions confirms that Scott Bemand’s side is on the rise. Yet it still comes just 18 months after Ireland won the dreaded wooden spoon in the Six Nations.

John O’Sullivan and Gordon D’Arcy join Nathan Johns to pick through the game and where Ireland can go from here. We also talk through Gordon’s record-breaking weekend and a mixed bag of results for the provinces.

Produced by John Casey.

Clip: Ireland’s last-gasp winner against New Zealand