Full-time: All over. New Zealand were just in a different class today. They top Pool C and will face the runners-up from Pool D in the quarter-finals. Ireland will play the winners of Pool D.
On RTÉ, Bernard Jackman questions how Ireland were set up for today’s game, says they played into New Zealand’s hands.
80 mins: Oh wow! Another try for New Zealand. That was sensational running rugby from their own 22. Maia Joseph gets this one. It’s another conversion by Holmes.
76 mins: New Zealand now have a penalty in front of the Ireland posts. They will take a scrum. It goes wide and Braxton Sorensen-McGee completes her hat-trick. Holmes kicks another conversion.
74 mins: Ireland win a penalty off the scrum.
73 mins: There was a knock on by Jorja Miller so that New Zealand try will not count. They do have an attacking scrum.
71 mins: Tap and go from Dannah O’Brien from a penalty. They are close again but New Zealand win it back and clear. The Black Ferns get pressure on Ireland in the backfield and look like they’ve scored a try. The TMO is checking for a knock on.
69 mins: Ireland win the lineout and have an advantage. They go to the lineout again. Campbell claims the throw and they go to the maul. They get over the line but it’s held up.
66 mins: Ireland have a penalty. They kick to touch on the New Zealand 22. New Zealand get it clear and Ireland are all the way back in their own half. They do now have another penalty. O’Brien kicks down the line.
63: mins: Ireland in a good position on the New Zealand five metre line but the defence is ferocious. The Black Ferns took everything Ireland had to throw at them there and withstood it with unrelenting pressure.
60 mins: Wholesale changes for Ireland with Siobhan McCarthy, Sadhbh McGrath, Emily Lane and Eimear Corri-Fallon all on.
56 mins: There was little doubt about it after the first half but New Zealand will top this group.
55 mins: Ireland penalised for a deliberate knock on. Holmes kicks to touch for New Zealand. They win the lineout and go to the maul 10m from the Ireland line. They work it wide to the opposite side of the pitch. Braxton Sorensen-McGee gets in for her second try and that’s the bonus point for New Zealand. Holmes kicks the conversion.
51 mins: O’Brien kicks clear and there’s no one in the New Zealand backfield but Costigan can’t make it there in time before it agonisingly goes out of touch.
50 mins: A change for Ireland at hooker. Cliodhna Moloney Macdonald is on for Neve Jones.
48 mins: Great chance from New Zealand to get the bonus point try but the crosskick goes awry. Ireland have a scrum.
46 mins: Ireland delay the put in at a scrum. It’s a free kick for New Zealand. They kick into the Ireland half. O’Brien clears and New Zealand have gained massive ground. They have a lineout on the Ireland 22.
44 mins: Edel McMahon is down injured now. She’s going off. Some changes for Ireland Claire Boles is on for McMahon and Anna McGann for Beibhinn Parson.
42 mins: Better from Ireland as they finally make progress in attack. They are on the New Zealand five metre line.
41 mins: The second half is underway. Tough task ahead for Ireland.
40 mins: Ireland kick the ball to touch and that’s half-time.
36 mins: O’Brien is hit hard in midfield and New Zealand win it back. They go wide and are in for a third try. This time it’s Braxton Sorensen-McGee. Holmes kicks the conversion.
34 mins: Ireland do well with a maul off the lineout but New Zealand win the turnover. They will have a scrum. The Black Ferns have a real strangle hold on the Ireland attack.
33 mins: Ireland fullback Stacey Flood is down injured and it sounds like she’s in a lot of pain. The stretcher is on the pitch. Flood is stretchered off to applause from the crowd. Her lower leg is in a brace. Nancy McGillivray is on for Ireland and Eve Higgins goes to fullback.
30 mins: The Ireland lineout is messy again but they luckily retain possession. That New Zealand defensive speed forces Ireland backwards. It’s deny them any oxygen in attack.
28 mins: Ireland win the penalty at the scrum. It’s one area, at least, in which Ireland are doing well today. Jones goes to Hogan at the back of the lineout. Ireland move it wide but the New Zealand defensive line is so quick and aggressive and Ireland are going nowhere. The referee was playing an advantage and O’Brien kicks up the line.
26 mins: Ireland have a lineout inside their own 22. It’s a a mess and New Zealand win the ball. They knock on and Ireland will have a scrum.
22 mins: Parsons is penalised for a high tackle. New Zealand kick down the line. They look dangerous again but knock on. Ireland have a scrum and Dannah O’Brien kicks clear. The angle was tight so it’s a New Zealand lineout just outside the Ireland 22. They win it and bulldoze into the Ireland defence.
19 mins: New Zealand win it off the top of the lineout, go to the maul and crash over the Ireland line. Loosehead prop Chryss Viliko gets the try. Ireland disrupt the kick and prevent the conversion.
17 mins: New Zealand are so dangerous once they get the ball wide to their elusive runners. They’ve got a penalty and kick to touch again. New Zealand have a lineout inside the Ireland 22. The Black Ferns knock on but the referee was playing advantage. They kick to touch again, this time it’s five metre lineout.
13 mins: The front rows go down and the referee awards Ireland a free kick. They clear, New Zealand move it wide, find space on the wing and they are in for a try. Stacey Waaka gets the score in the corner for the Black Ferns. Renee Holmes converts. New Zealand lead 7-0.
12 mins: Ireland win a massive turnover metres from their own posts with New Zealand looking very dangerous. There’s no score but it has been an absorbing game.
10 mins: New Zealand turn Ireland over in midfield with massive pressure. They kick to touch again and will have a lineout inside the Ireland 22.
6 mins: Ireland run back a New Zealand kick but they been penalised for crossing. The Black Ferns kick to touch near halfway.
4 mins: New Zealand make a mess of a lineout near their own line. Now Ireland have a scrum five metres out. Ireland move it wide but knock when they were looking very dangerous. That’s a let off for New Zealand.
2 mins: Penalty for Ireland due to New Zealand not moving away. O’Brien kicks to touch. Ireland have a lineout five metres out.
0 mins: Dannah O’Brien kicks off and the game is underway in Brighton.
2:20pm: There’s a change to the Ireland starting team with Niamh O’Dowd coming in at loosehead prop in place of Ellena Perry who has been ruled out by an injury. Siobhan McGrath will be on the bench.
2:05pm: Whichever side tops Pool C, either Ireland or New Zealand, will face the runners-up in Pool D. South Africa and France clash later today to decide the final positions in Pool D.
Ireland’s Eve Higgins arrives ahead of the match. Pic: ©INPHO/Ben Brady
2pm: Ahead of today’s game, Kieran Shannon spoke to Nora Stapleton, who was Ireland out-half when they defeated the Black Ferns at the 2014 World Cup. She’s had a remarkable career off the pitch.
Ireland: S Flood; B Parsons, A Dalton, E Higgins, AL Costigan; D O’Brien, A Reilly; N O’Dowd, N Jones, L Djougang; R Campbell, S Monaghan; G Moore, E McMahon, B Hogan.
Replacements: C Moloney-MacDonald, S McCarthy, S McGrath, E Corri-Fallon, C Boles, E Lane, N McGillivray, A McGann.