Ireland women focus on improving ranking

IRELAND women’s captain Fiona Coghlan put on a brave face yesterday, after her side missed out on making the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time on points difference.

The girls in green routed Kazakhstan 37-3 to chalk up their second successive bonus point victory, putting them in the frame for the final semi-final spot, which goes to the best runner-up in the three pools.

But Australia’s comprehensive 62-0 hammering of South Africa proved enough to send them through with a points difference of plus 49.