Parsons breaks Ireland women's all-time try-scoring record in win over Japan

Béibhinn Parsons etched her name into Ireland women’s rugby history on Sunday, scoring twice in a 31-24 WXV Global Series win over Japan at Dexcom Stadium in Galway to become the team’s all-time leading try-scorer with 24 tries in 37 caps, moving past the previous record held by Alison Miller.

The 24-year-old winger made the achievement all the more poignant by reaching the milestone in her home province of Connacht. Born and raised in Ballinasloe, Parsons made her Test debut as a 16-year-old in 2017 and has since represented Ireland at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. The victory also returned Ireland to winning ways after a 40-36 defeat to the USA Women’s Eagles in their opening WXV fixture earlier in the autumn.

Head coach Scott Bemand was quick to praise Parsons while also setting the bar higher for his star winger. “Beibhinn’s such an important player for Ireland women’s rugby,” he said. “She’s incredibly professional. She turns up. She’s come back from an ankle over the summer. Two weeks ago you could tell she was absolutely raring to play, and we managed to hold her back one week.”

Bemand acknowledged the competitive depth Ireland now have out wide but left little doubt about Parsons’ standing in the squad. “It’s nothing like Bei wanting to show and put her own stamp on it, saying ‘just listen here, you lot — I’m still in, I’m still here’. Bei’s going to continue to score tries over the next however many years, so it’s really exciting to see how good she can become because she keeps going after it. She knows she’s not the finished article yet, but each time we challenge her, she keeps getting better.”

Parsons herself reflected on a record she never anticipated when she first pulled on the green jersey as a teenager. “It’s not something that I went in, playing at 16, thinking that it would ever be associated with me,” she said. “It sounds good. I’ve definitely missed a couple of games, a few campaigns and fixtures, but it’s all about the squad and where we’re at now. And I think this squad is going places.”

Ireland will face Japan again next weekend in a non-WXV fixture in Cork before travelling to Cape Town in October for two Tests against South Africa — further opportunities for Parsons to extend her record.