Launching their challenge for the HSBC SVNS Championship crown , James Topping’s charges showed the never-say-die attitude that steered them to numerous tight wins across the season, and an eventual second place finish in the table. Moving on to this weekend’s inaugural Grand Final, they welcomed back Hugo Keenan and Andrew Smith to the squad, and recovered from a difficult position against the Blitzboks to record an opening 26-21 victory. A trademark kick-chase try from Terry Kennedy was their only score as they trailed 21-7 early in the second half, before a barnstorming Zac Ward effort, and two closing seven-pointers from fellow replacement Gavin Mullin, made it a hard-earned, winning start.
With little or no margin for error, only the top two finishers in each pool will advance to Sunday’s Championship semi-finals. Ireland top Pool B on scoring difference from their next opponents Fiji, who defeated in-form New Zealand 28-26 with a last-gasp converted try. A big second day awaits with a top of the table clash between Ireland and Fiji at 1.
06pm local time/12.06pm Irish time (live on RugbyPass TV ), before Topping’s men face the All Blacks Sevens at 4.11pm local time/3.
11pm Irish time in a repeat of the recent Singapore Sevens final. Having been replaced earlier in the second half of today’s pool opener, Kennedy said afterwards: “Oh my God, it’s brutal watching those ones! Nearly as bad as it was out on the pitch. I mean the legs are certainly firing there.
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