USA stun Ireland with second-half maul blitz to win WXV clash in Dublin

The United States produced a stunning second-half comeback to defeat Ireland at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin, overturning a 12-point half-time deficit through a relentless rolling maul to claim one of the standout results of the WXV Global Series weekend.

Ireland looked firmly in control at the break, leading 24-12 after a slick first-half attacking display that saw Vicky Elmes Kinlan, Aoife Wafer and Eve Higgins all cross the line. The USA, coached by Jack Hanratty — an Irishman now leading his adopted nation — had kept themselves in contention through two forward-dominated scores from Georgie Perris-Redding and Hope Rogers, but the deficit appeared to be growing.

The second half told an entirely different story. The Eagles abandoned any pretence of expansive play and leaned into their set-piece power, targeting Ireland’s defensive line with a rolling maul that the hosts simply could not contain. Four tries followed in the second period, three of them arriving while Elmes Kinlan was serving time in the sin bin, with hooker Kathryn Treder and lock Hallie Taufoou among those to benefit from the mauling dominance as the USA moved ahead on the 70-minute mark.

Ireland, reduced in numbers and denied the possession needed to reset, could not find a way back.

The result carries real significance for both sides. For the USA, it is a statement win that reinforces belief in the Hanratty project and their capacity to compete with the sport’s established nations. For Ireland, it is a damaging setback that will prompt difficult conversations ahead of their next WXV fixture against Japan.

The defeat also arrived in the context of a broader weekend that tested several of the game’s top sides. Canada came close to ending England’s unbeaten run, settling for a draw, while Australia pushed a heavily-favoured France side hard before falling short. The USA’s victory over Ireland on home soil was the result that completed the picture — a reminder to the sport’s leading nations of the quality now chasing them down the rankings.