Ireland Women 15
Spain Women 13
NEVE JONES WAS Irelandโs matchwinner as they came from 10 points down in the final 20 minutes to dig out a narrow win against Spain and win the inaugural WXV3 title.
Two maul tries from Grace Moore and Jones in the final quarter guided Ireland to their first international silverware since the 2015 Six Nations success, as they made it three wins out of three in the Dubai desert heat.
Ireland were looking to round out their campaign with a 100% record having run up two comfortable wins against Kazakhstan and Colombia, scoring 27 tries and conceding none.
But they found themselves on the back foot inside just three minutes when co-captain Edel McMahon was shown a yellow card for a high tackle on Cristina Blanco Herrera.
Spain made the most of their advantage and hit the front while Ireland were down to 14, centre Claudia Pena Hidalgo running in an intercept try with Amalia Argudo adding the extras for a 7-0 lead.
An Argudo penalty stretched Spainโs lead to 10 before Dannah OโBrienโs penalty opened the Irish account in the 35th minute.
The Irish pack started to get on top in the closing minutes of the first half, but Linda Djougang was shown a yellow card just before the break, and Ireland went in 13-3 down.
Las Leonas leaked penalties and the Irish maul took full advantage, with a brave call to turn down a kickable penalty resulting in hooker Jonesโ match-winning effort.
One slip could have given Argudo a chance to kick Spain ahead in the dying embers, but replacement Eimear Corri stole a lineout to ensure Ireland closed out their first ever WXV campaign with a trophy.
It also means there will be three European teams playing in WXV2 next year, with regional qualifiers in 2024 to decide the identity of those sides. A higher finish than last seasonโs Six Nations should ensure that Bemandโs charges move up to WXVโs second division.
IRELAND: Mรฉabh Deely (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Natasja Behan (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC/Leinster), Aoife Dalton (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Bรฉibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht); Dannah OโBrien (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Molly Scuffil-McCabe (Railway Union RFC/Leinster); Linda Djougang (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster), Neve Jones (Gloucester-Hartpury), Christy Haney (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster), Dorothy Wall (Blackrock College RFC/Munster), Sam Monaghan (Gloucester-Hartpury/IQ Rugby) (co-capt), Grace Moore (Saracens/IQ Rugby), Edel McMahon (Exeter Chiefs) (co-capt), Brittany Hogan (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster).
Replacements used: Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC/Connacht) for Scuffil-McCabe (45 mins), Sadhbh McGrath (City of Derry RFC/Cooke RFC/Ulster) for McMahon (47-53), Aoife Wafer (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for McMahon (53), Fiona Tuite (Old Belvedere RFC/Ulster) for Moore (67), Leah Tarpey (Railway Union RFC/Leinster) for Behan (72), Clara Nielson (Exeter Chiefs) for Jones, Eimear Corri (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster) for Wall, McGrath for Haney (all 76). Not used: Niamh OโDowd (Old Belvedere RFC/Leinster).
SPAIN: Amalia Argudo; Claudia Pรฉrez Pรฉrez, Claudia Peรฑa Hidalgo, Zahia Perez, Clara Piquero; Ines Bueso-Inchausti, Maider Aresti Felix; Ines Antolinez Fernandez, Cristina Blanco Herrera (capt), Laura Delgado, Anna Puig, Carmen Castellucci, Vico Gorrochategui Juste, Alba Capell, Maria Calvo.
Replacements used: Maria del Castillo for Antolinez Fernandez, Sidorella Bracic Rodriguez for Delgado (both 54 mins), Julia Castro for Aresti Felix, Tecla Masoko Bueriberi for Pรฉrez Pรฉrez, Nadina Cisa for Capell, Alba Vinuesa for Bueso-Inchausti (all 71), Maria Roman Mallen for Blanco Herrera (74). Not used: Beatriz Rivera.
Referee: Doriane Domenjo (France)
Even when on the bench he didnโt get game time. The coach doesnโt like or trust him. Saturday once again showed just how wrong Oโconnor has been all season
OโConnor is just all wrong for Leinster.
He has a very big chance next season with Leinster during the World Cup, midfield wonโt be as competitive so he should get a good run of matches.
Mark if Darcy doesnโt make the World Cup squad, heโll play 12 with tโeo at 13. Then Madigan and sexton will be back so the midfield wonโt be as easy to get into as you may think
That pop pass from OโBrien
Battle between him and Madigan for the 12 jersey next season.
Itโs always to easy to see who coaches โjust like/donโt likeโ. When Gopperth played badly it was ignored whereas when Madigan played mediocre or even if Reid played well decisions went against them.
It creates such a poisonous culture as some players start to feel entitled to spots and others feel it doesnโt matter how well they play they wonโt get picked. Cody and Fergusson were masters at disregarding players identities and judging on match performance alone. MOC is such a stink manager.