Parsons hat-trick fires Ireland to historic series win in South Africa
Ireland beat South Africa 38-17 in Cape Town on Saturday, winning the Test series and closing their WXV Global Series campaign on a high. BBC Sport reported that the result secured a historic series win over the Springboks' women's side.
The main headline is Beibhinn Parsons. The wing scored a hat-trick of tries, three touchdowns in a game where each try is worth five points. She now has 29 tries in 40 Tests for Ireland, a new Irish record.
She was not the only scorer. Erin King crossed the line, and Aoife Dalton scored twice. Dannah O'Brien kicked four conversions, the extra kicks taken after a try that add two points each time. Ireland led 14-10 at half-time and pulled away in the second half.
South Africa's tries came from Unam Tose, Sizophila Solontsi and Vainah Ubisi. They kept fighting, but Ireland's pace and finishing made the difference on the day.
The win also means something in the history books. Ireland are the first Irish senior side to win back-to-back Tests on South African soil. Their victory on Saturday followed a 40-27 win over the same opponents at the same venue, Athlone Stadium, the previous week.
It was not a straight run of wins, though. South Africa had won the first Test 27-20 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria. Ireland then had to bounce back, and they did it twice.
Ireland's WXV campaign began with a defeat by the United States. They then beat Japan before the two wins over South Africa. WXV is the women's international tournament that brings together teams from several regions over a few weeks, and it gives players a chance to test themselves against strong opposition away from home.
For Ireland, the series win comes with the momentum of a squad that has learned to win in hard conditions. For the players in green, it is a memory that will last well beyond this trip.
