Ireland 37 Kazakhstan 3:AUSTRALIA PIPPED Ireland for a semi-final spot despite this seven-try victory at Guildford on Saturday.
The Aussies’ 62-0 victory over South Africa ensured they and not Ireland or Canada were the best runners-up in the three pools, and they will meet favourites England on Wednesday.
Coach Philip Doyle made two changes to the team that impressed in defeating the US last Tuesday, with Louise Beamish coming in for scrumhalf Tania Rosser and Eliza Downing lining out on the wing.
Having received her 50th cap before Saturday’s match, Joy Neville helped herself to another brace.
Ireland got off to a flying start in the second minute when fullback Niamh Briggs applied the finishing touch after good work by Eliza Downey.
Briggs missed the conversion and was off-target for all but one of her seven conversions.
After such a great start it looked like Ireland would have no problem getting the necessary points difference, but Kazakhstan proved stubborn, especially at the breakdown.
Neville scored her first in the 16th minute, which Briggs converted, and with Beamish and Orla Brennan also touching down before half-time, Ireland appeared to be half-way to achieving their semi-final place.
But on the stroke of half-time an infringement in front of the posts gifted Kazakhstan their only points of the tournament so far when Aigerym Daurembayeva kicked the penalty to leave the score 22-3.
Ireland began the second half as they did the first when Downey touched down just two minutes after the resumption, and with tries from Neville and O’Loughlin Ireland enjoyed a thoroughly deserved victory.
A proud Doyle said: “It’s great that we were in contention and that we have two more games to bring this team on further.”
Captain Fiona Coughlan said: “We’re delighted with the bonus-point victory because Kazakhstan were quite stubborn opposition and hard to pay against at times.
“It’s disappointing we did not make the semi-finals, but now our objective is to clinch fifth place, beginning with another victory over the US on Wednesday.”
IRELAND: N Briggs (J Shiels 72); A Davis (M Kelly, 51), J O’Sullivan, L Cantwell, E Downey; H Brosnan (S Houston, 55), L Beamish; F Coghlan (capt, L Guest, 72), G Bourke, L Austin (Y Nolan 51); K O’Loughlin, ML Reilly; O Brennan (C Staunton, 45), C Molloy (S Ryan, 48), J Neville.
KAZAKHSTAN: A Daurembayeva (T Pshenichnaya, 56); O Sazonova, V Nezbudley, A Baratova (T Tur, h-t), I Amossova; A Yakovleva (capt), A Kamova; N Kamendrovskaya, T Ashikhmina (F Kalen, 36), O Nikulich; S Karatgina, O Kumanikina (S Zhamankulova, 63); A Mustafina (K Baktybayeva, 63), O Teryayeva, I Radziivil (M Balashova, 31).
Referee: A McMenemy (Scotland).
