Ireland Triumphs Over World Champions New Zealand in WXV1 Opener

In a thrilling clash, Ireland secured a dramatic 29-27 victory over world champions New Zealand in their first WXV1 match in Vancouver, the Irish Independent reported. In the final minute, substitute Erin King scored her second try, equalizing the match, and fly-half Dannah O'Brien calmly converted the decisive points, handing Ireland a surprising win.

This remarkable victory is part of Ireland's significant progress under head coach Scott Bemand, highlighted by a third-place finish in the 2024 Six Nations and a home win against Australia. Now climbing to Tier 1, Ireland's rapid transformation saw them pulling off another incredible upset. Their next match is against Canada on Saturday, with the Black Ferns set to face England on Sunday.

The match itself was intense. New Zealand's Atlanta Lolohea opened the scoring, leveraging a powerful maul, but Ireland responded swiftly with a try from Aoife Wafer. A subsequent Renee Holmes penalty gave New Zealand an early lead, only for Wafer to strike back again, putting Ireland ahead after O'Brien's conversion. Despite New Zealand leveling before half-time through wing Katelyn Vahaakolo and Holmes’ conversion, it was a tightly contested game throughout.

Midway through the second half, a Holmes penalty put New Zealand ahead during a temporary Ireland player deficit, but full strength returned for Ireland as King powered through for her first try. Ireland's line-out also remained a crucial element, enabling King to contest further. Mererangi Paul momentarily reclaimed the lead for New Zealand, but King's final try leveled the scores right before O’Brien clinched the win with her successful conversion.

This brutal back-and-forth culminated in remarkable team performances, with prominent individual efforts like those of Wafer, who bagged the player of the match title for the second time in a row. Despite losing key moments to the TMO rulings, it was an all-encompassing effort where both defenders and attackers shone, underlined by Moloney's impactful role and Ireland’s composed final push to triumph once more.

Earlier, SSP wrote that Daniel Ricciardo left a lasting mark on Formula One.