Sydney University Women’s Football Club’s Wallaroos representative Ashleigh Hewson scored 11 points in Australia’s 36-24 win over Ireland at the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup in Belfast last night (AEST).
With Australia outscoring Ireland five tries to four, five-eighth Hewson converted four tries and added a penalty goal in her return to the Wallaroos. Hewson pulled a hamstring in the World Cup opener against Ireland and missed pool matches against France and Japan.
Sydney University’s other Wallaroo representative, number eight Grace Hamilton, has been in the starting line-up for every match in the 2017 World Cup.
The win puts Australia in the frame for a fifth-place play-off against either Canada or Wales at Queen’s University, Belfast, and also ensures them a berth in the 2021 World Cup.
Wallaroos coach said securing a place in the 2021 World Cup was their goal after missing out on the top four at this year’s World Cup. “It was also great to reverse the score from our first encounter against the Irish in Dublin,” he said.
“We knew as a team that we could produce a better performance and today we did in front of a vocal home crowd who were behind their team.”