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

Ireland blew a 19-point lead to suffer a 40-36 loss to the USA in their opening game of the WXV Global Series.

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 Ireland 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.