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Sunday, September 20, 2026

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Rugby

Ireland 36-40 USA: Hosts blow 19-point lead in Tallaght in WXV Global Series clash

A player-of-the-match performance from Freda Tafuna helped the United States secure victory against Ireland in the WXV Global Series; Ireland play Japan next weekend

· 123 words· updated September 20, 2026 at 03:50 PM

The hosts romped to a 17-0 lead in the first 20 minutes in Dublin, with Vicky Elmes Kinlan opening the scoring and Dannah O'Brien scoring a conversion.

Tries from Cliodhna Moloney-MacDonald and Aoife Wafer made it 24-12 at half-time.

Early in the second half they extended their advantage to 19 points, leading 31-12.

But the visitors, led by a player-of-the-match performance from Freda Tafuna, patiently clawed their way back into the clash with four successive tries from Kathryn Treder, twice, Hallie Taufoou and Tafuna.

Tafuna's try, scored while Kinlan was in the sin-bin, set the tone for the USA's first win over Ireland since 2018.

Scott Bemand's side are back in action next weekend away to Japan on Sunday at the Dexcom Stadium.

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