When the Ireland Women’s Rugby team beat Australia in Belfast earlier this month, it came as a bolt from the blue. We knew the team had been travelling in the right direction, with qualification assured for next year’s Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, but it still appeared from the games against England and France in the Guinness Six Nations that there was a gap to the very best.
Promotion to the top flight of the WXV1 competition was likely to be a learning experience, but in the small hours of this morning, it was us who did the learning, as the team beat New Zealand by 29-27 in one of Irish Rugby’s most impressive landmark results.
It was not the first victory over New Zealand. That came in the World Cup in 2014 when a Grand Slam-winning team made it to the Semi-Final stage.
Things have failed to hit that height since, but suddenly, Ireland is right back at the top table and beating the World Number One.
The game was in the balance throughout before Erin King scored Ireland’s fifth try on 79 minutes, and Dannah O’Brien stepped up to nail her second conversion of the game to secure a world-famous victory.
New Zealand took a 7-0 lead on ten minutes but Ireland fought back to 17-10 just before half time with two tries from Aoife Wafer, named as player of the match, and one from Neve Jones, with O’Brien converting Wafer’s second try.
New Zealand levelled the game just before the break and moved ahead with a Penalty on 57 minutes before Erin King scored again. Then on 73 minutes Mererengi Paul went over for a try that was converted for a five point lead.
Ireland piled on the pressure as the clock ticked down and gained their reward when Erin King scored the try to level, and Dannah O’Brien secured the win.
New Zealand will look to three tries ruled out by the TMO, but the final result is the one that counts, and this is a famous one.
Three weeks ago Sport for Business, the IRFU and Onside Sponsorship hosted a session looking at the potential of the Women’s game for new commercial partners to come on board.
The research pointed to a real willingness of the public to support the team in a year that would culminate in the World Cup in England, to which fans would have ready access.
The only thing that caused some questioning was the apparent gap between the team and those at the top of the sport. In the wee hours of the morning, that was swept away.
2025 promises to be quite something.
Ireland will now play host Canada next Saturday, followed by the United States.
Sport for Business, in partnership with Allianz, will hold the 2024 Sport for Business Sport for Social Good Conference on Thursday, October 24th. This is one of ten events currently planned for the remainder of 2024.
Register your interest to attend a Sport for Business event here.
The Sport for Business Membership comprises nearly 300 organisations, including all the leading sports and sponsors, as well as commercial and state agencies.
Find out more about joining us today.
