Hugo Keenan’s equalising try forced the Sevens Grand Final to proceed into extra time. However, Ireland’s hopes of a semi-final were dashed when they were defeated by New Zealand. The critical conversion following Keenan’s last gasp try wasn’t successful, thrusting the match into an extended period where New Zealand were quick to score, clinching a 22-17 win.
In a previous game that also necessitated extra time, Ireland faced a 21-26 loss against Fiji. The fixture saw tries from Chay Mullins, Gavin Lennox and Jordan Conroy but fell short with Fiji’s Viwa Naduvalo making the decisive 16th-minute try.
These disappointments have pushed James Topping’s team into vying for lesser positions on Sunday instead of advancing to the semi-finals of the cup. The Irish women’s team similarly lost a semi-final opportunity. A successful match against Fiji couldn’t erase the impact of a prior 31-5 loss to France. This followed another defeat at the hands of Australia the previous Friday.
The only glimmer of hope came post their crippling loss to France, as Ireland managed to secure a victory over Fiji. This was achieved with tries from Beibhinn Parsons and a hat-trick by Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe.