Vikki Wall made her long-awaited debut for the Ireland sevens team in a poole stage victory over Japan in the Perth leg of the World Series.
After a victory over the USA and defeat to New Zealand on Friday, Ireland finished up their pool stages with a 26-7 defeat of Japan, Wall’s first appearance in the World Series since switching over from Gaelic football. Beibhinn Parson’s hat-trick set Ireland up for a comfortable victory which saw them qualify for the quarter-finals as pool runners-up.
Playing on Saturday morning, Ireland worked past Fiji in a narrow 12-14 win, a missed conversion all that separated the sides as Eve Higgins and Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe crossed for Allan Temple Jones’ side.
Ireland play Great Britain just after 4am on Sunday for a place in the final.
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Meanwhile in the men’s competition, Ireland also finished runners-up in their pool after beating Australia on Saturday thanks to a Terry Kennedy double alongside a try from Jordan Conroy. The result followed victory over Great Britain and a defeat to the USA on Friday.
In Saturday’s quarter-final, James Topping’s squad overturned a half-time deficit to defeat France 21-14. A second half yellow card for France’s Joseph Jefferson Lee was critical to Ireland’s hopes, his infringement leading to a penalty try.
Zac Ward notched a dramatic, late winning score nearly two-and-a-half-minutes past the full-time hooter to send Ireland into a semi-final match-up with Argentina. The game takes place at 5.10am on Sunday.
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