Pool B: Ireland through to the semis

Ireland 40 Kazakhstan 5

Ireland made history by qualifying for the World Cup semi finals for the first time ever after a nervy but ultimately comfortable win over Kazakhstan.

The first half began with Ireland immediately on the attack, but with the Kazakhs initially defending the Irish maul well. However, the first score soon came with Laura Guest breaking through the Kazakhstani line, Lynne Cantwell taking it on, and Sharon Lynch touching down under the posts. With just five minutes gone Ireland were 7-0 ahead.

Kazakhstan soon had an opportunity to pull the lead back with a penalty, but Aigerym Daurembayeva’s kick fell short.

Nonetheless indecision in the Irish defence allowed Kazakhstan to keep the attack going. Despite some solid Irish defence, Katazkstan kept up the pressure and on 20 minutes came close to scoring in the corner, the referee consulting the assistant before ruling no try.

However from the resulting scrum Kazakhstan did get on the scoreboard with second row Svetlana Karatygina driving over in the corner. Daurembayeva’s kick again fell short, so Ireland retained a 7-5 lead.

Minuutes later Bakhtiguzina broke the Irish line, but without support Kazakhstan could not capitalise. Nonetheless Kazakhstan looked significantly more the threatening team at this point.

It was not until the 30thminute that Ireland finally broke out of their own half, and despite some excellent Kazakhstani defence, on 36 minutes Tania Rossier scored a fine individual try, finding the gap with a great dummy and running 30m to score. At half time Ireland lead 14-5 – but it was from a performance that was far from convincing.

The second half continued where the first had left off. On 49 minutes a good maul won Ireland a strong attacking position, but again solid Kazakhstani defence turned the ball over.

Little errors were preventing Ireland from taking advantage of these positions, and soon Kazakhstan were on the offensive again, a great break engineering by Yakovleva forcing Ireland back into their 22.

Then with 30 minutes to go both teams changed their front rows, and changed the shape of the game in an instant, to Ireland’s advantage.

The more stable platform soon began to make a difference with Ireland taking the initiative for the first time since the match began. On 63 minutes the extra pressure told, with Kazakhstan giving away a penalty try in their attempt to prevent a pushover. Ireland were now 21-5 ahead – and only two minutes later the bonus point try came with a 60m break down the far wing by Siobhan Fleming, though this time the kick from the touchline was missed.

On 69 minutes a break by Vicki McGinn set up another try, the ball being quickly swept across the field where Ireland had a four-on-one overlap, Lynch scoring after a quite brilliant finish. Ireland were now looking a different side at 33-5.

Kazakhstan were not finished and put Ireland under some pressure in the final ten minutes, but a now visibly more confident and fluid Ireland were soon back on the attack and, with the previous game, ended the eighty minutes threatening the opposition line – McGinn scoring in the corner.

Ireland:

1. Fiona Hayes (UL Bohemians/Munster); 2. Gillian Bourke (UL Bohemians/Munster); 3. Kerrie-Ann Craddock (Saracens/Exile); 4. Laura Guest (Highfield/Munster); 5. Orla Fitzsimons (St. Mary's College/Leinster); 6. Sharon Lynch (Old Belvedere/Leinster); 7. Siobhan Fleming (Tralee/Munster); 8. Paula Fitzpatrick (St. Mary's College/Leinster); 9. Larissa Muldoon (Bristol/Exile); 10. Tania Rosser (Blackrock/Leinster); 11. Hannah Casey (Saracens/Exile); 12. Grace Davitt (Cooke/Ulster); 13. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) (capt); 14. Vikki McGinn (Blackrock/Leinster); 15. Jackie Shiels (Richmond/Exile)Replacements: 16. Fiona Coghlan (UL Bohemians/Leinster); 17. Ailis Egan (Old Belvedere/Leinster); 18. Sophie Spence (Old Belvedere/Leinster); 19. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht); 20. Nora Stapleton (Old Belvedere/Leinster); 21. Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht); 22. Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)

Kazakhstan:1 Yelena Muradova , 2 Yelena Yevdokimova , 3. Olga Bakhtiguzina, 4 Lyudmila Matiyeva, 5 Svetlana Karatygina , 6 Symbat Zhamankulova, 7 Kundyzay Baktybayeva , 8 Marianna Balashova, 9 Amina Baratova , 10 Svetlana Klyuchnikova , 11 Lyudmila Sapronova, 12 Balzhan Koishybayeva , 13 Anna Yakovleva (C) , 14 Oxana Shardina 15 Aigerym DaurembayevaReplacements:16 Irina Radzevil, 17 Yelena Rogacheva , 18 Yelena Kiryushina , 19 Karina Prosjurina, 20 Anastassiya Khamova , 21 Aigul Dairbayeva, 22 Olga Sazonova

New Zealand 34  United States 3

This game kicked off to a curious atmosphere with New Zealand haven’t just been knocked out due to results earlier in the day.

The result means both sides will be involved in the placing games for 5-8 - a huge disappointment for New Zealand, who have never hit the heights of four years ago here.USA started stronger with nice runs from Sadie Anderson through the middle but NZ grew into it with a huge run from Amiria Rule setting up position in the USA 22. A lovely pass from Kelly Brazier to Huriana Manuel saw the first try in the corner after 10 minutes.Claire Richardson then races over after a brilliant pass from Selica Winiata to make it 12-5.PLay was then held up for a sustained period with an injury to USA captain Kate Daley who was replaced by Shaina Turley.USA then enjoyed a good spell inside the NZ half with some nice interplay with Turley making an immediate impact.New Zealand had to survive wave after wave of attack as USA threw everything at them with Bui Baravilala coming close and then USA being held up over the line. New Zealand kept defending though and turned over at crucial times.USA got stuck in from the off with Lynelle Kugler putting in a massive hit on Casey Robertson in the opening play.  Solid pressure took the USA all the way to the line with the likes of Hope Rogers having a stormer in attack and defence.

Eventually the pressure gave way to a penalty with Kimber Rozier sticking it over to make it 12-3.

New Zealand got back into it with a well worked try finished by Hurina Manuel ,with Honey Hireme first bursting through the middle.  Then Renee Wickliffe went over immediately behind Kendra Cocksedge - the scrum half involved in both of the excellent tries. NZ were now ahead a more convincing 29-3.

A superb run from Vanesha McGee saw USA back into the NZ half but with an unassailable lead the game did rather start to peter out. Shakira Baker made a good impact off the bench for the Black Ferns with some powerful runs though and in the last play Justine Lavea raced over to make it convincing in the end.

New Zealand1. Ruth McKay ; 2. Fiao’o Fa’amausili (C) ; 3. Stephanie Te Ohaere-Fox ; 4. Eloise Blackwell ; 5. Rawinia Everitt ; 6. Linda Itunu ; 7. Justine Lavea ; 8. Casey Robertson ; 9. Emma Jensen ; 10. Kelly Brazier ; 11. Renee Wickliffe ; 12. Amiria Rule ; 13. Huriana Manuel ; 14. Claire Richardson ; 15. Selica Winiata; ;Replacements; 16. Kathleen Wilton ; 17. Aleisha Nelson ; 18. Sanita Levave ; 19. Aroha Savage ; 20. Kendra Cocksedge ; 21. Honey Hireme ; 22. Shakira Baker

United States:1. Sarah Chobot ; 2. Kathryn Augustyn ; 3. Hope Rogers ; 4. Carmen Farmer ; 5. Sarah Walsh ; 6. Jillion Potter ; 7. Lynelle Kugler ; 8. Kate Daley (C) ; 9. Jocelyn Tseng ; 10. Kimberly Rozier ; 11. Vanesha McGee ; 12. Sylvia Braaten ; 13. Akalaini "Bui" Baravilala ; 14. Sadie Anderson ; 15. Meya Bizer;Replacements:16. Kittery Wagner ; 17. Jamie Burke ; 18. Sarah Wilson ; 19. Sharon Blaney ; 20. Shaina Turley ; 21. Emilie Bydwell ; 22. Nathalie Marchino