United States rally from 12 points down to beat Ireland 40-36 at Tallaght Stadium

The United States rallied from 12 points down at half-time to beat Ireland 40-36 at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin in their WXV Global Series opener on 20 September 2026. The Eagles scored four successive second-half tries to overturn a 31-12 deficit and secure the victory.

Ireland led 24-12 at the interval after scoring three tries inside the opening 20 minutes and then extended to 31-12 early in the second half. The match was the first women’s rugby Test to be played at the home of Shamrock Rovers. The USA were missing Ilona Maher and were coached by Jack Hanratty.

Ireland opened the scoring on seven minutes following sustained pressure when Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald released Stacey Flood with a quick offload and Flood fed Vicky Elmes Kinlan, who finished in the corner. Moloney-MacDonald then scored from a driving maul on 14 minutes and Aoife Wafer forced her way over soon after to give Ireland control in the early stages.

The USA got on the board when co-captain Georgie Perris-Redding bundled over on 25 minutes and teenager Bella Vogue kicked the conversion. Two minutes later Anna McGann carried strongly and offloaded to Eve Higgins for a score, with Dannah O'Brien adding the extras, and Hope Rogers crossed before half-time to narrow the gap.

Robyn O'Connor’s break early in the second half led to a try awarded to Erin King after a TMO review, putting Ireland 31-12 ahead. The USA then hit back when Kathryn Treder peeled off a driving maul to score, and the game turned after Elmes Kinlan was sent to the sin-bin for not rolling away from a tackle.

In the period with a numerical advantage the Eagles scored four successive tries: Treder completed a brace, Hallie Taufoou forced her way over and Vogel’s kick put the USA ahead by two points on 69 minutes, and Freda Tafuna then finished with what the report called the pick of their tries. Dorothy Wall scored for Ireland late in stoppage time but Ireland could not convert their final possession.

Ireland named Flood; O'Connor, Dalton, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan; O'Brien, Lane; O'Dowd, Moloney-MacDonald, Djougang, Wall, Tuite-O'Sullivan, Adams Verling, King (capt), Wafer with replacements Jones, McGrath, Cahill, Clohessy, Hogan, Reilly, McGann, Gallagher. The USA started Canett; Uhatafe, Hann, Heinrich, Coulibaly; Vogel, Paton; Rogers, Treder, Sagapolu-Senele; Taufoou, Ehrecke; Humphreys, Perris-Redding (co-capt), Tafuna and used replacements Leatherman, Hill-Huse, Woods, Jarrell-Searcy (co-capt), Bailey, Zackary, Bargell, Mason.

Dannah O'Brien finished with three conversions and Vogel with five. Bemand's side will now look to bounce back in their next game against Japan in Galway on 27 September.