Ireland’s double try-scorer Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe believes they can overcome the setback of losing their opening pool game in their effort to make the quarter-finals of the women’s rugby sevens competition at the Paris Olympics.
Two tries from Murphy Crowe weren’t enough as the Olympic debutants were beaten 21-12 by Great Britain in their pool B opener at the Stade de France this afternoon.
Ireland have a quick turnaround as they face South Africa at 6.0pm Irish time this evening in their second pool game and tomorrow they play 2024 Sevens Grand Final winners Australia.
“We’ve two games to make sure we do [make the quarter-finals], so we’ll look forward to them,” Murphy Crowe said. “Not where we want to be, but we fought quite hard throughout the whole game and mentally proud of the girls to fight through that.
“Just certain times we can’t give away the ball. We’ve got to control it off the kick-off. Disappointed but also hugely proud. It’s the first Irish sevens women’s team to take a field at the Olympic Games so what an honour.”
Ireland went into this game with a good recent record against GB, with three wins in their three games this year. Ireland were also boosted by the return of captain Lucy Rock, who played her first game since sustaining a troublesome hamstring injury over five months ago.
And Ireland got off to a fast start with Murphy Crowe scoring Ireland’s first try in women’s sevens Olympic history. After stretching GB across the pitch, it was the Tipperary woman who rode the attempted tackle to dot down.
But their 5-0 barely lasted a minute. Isla Norman-Bell broke right through the centre of the Irish defence to level it, and she added the conversion for a 7-5 lead. But just before half-time, Ireland produced a well-worked team move – with Stacey Flood a key mover – which ended with the ball in Murphy Crowe’s hands to score her second try – 12-7 to Ireland at half-time.
But once again, their lead was short-lived. Less than 20 seconds into the second half, GB broke the Irish defence again as Wales winger Jasmine Joyce scored GB’s second try to help them to a 14-12 lead. They collected try number three when Emma Uren again exposed Ireland’s defensive effort.
Murphy Crowe says this defeat won’t hurt their confidence.
“I think the game of sevens you should never confidence. You never know. The turn of a ball, it could land you one. So no, we won’t lose confidence. First game, we’ve got five more to go.
“So we’ll take it exactly how we approached that last game, being the fighting Irish that everyone knows we are.”
Ireland: S Flood, A L Murphy Crowe, B Parsons, M Burns, L Rock, E King, E Lane. Replacements: A Orchard, V Elmes Kinlan, A Fitzpatrick, K Baker, E Higgins
Great Britain: L Thomson, E Boatman, L Torley, E Uren, I Norman-Bell, M Jones, J Joyce. Replacements: J Shekells, G Crompton, H Cowell, E Kildunne, A Wilson Hardy
Ref: K Roche (USA)