Beibhinn Parsons breaks Ireland try-scoring record with brace against Japan

Beibhinn Parsons scored her 23rd and 24th international try to leapfrog Alison Miller’s previous tally and become Ireland women's rugby’s all-time top try-scorer.The Connacht winger's brace at Devon Park played a significant part in gaining Ireland, world ranked no5 before the game, a 31-24 win over 12th ranked Japan.Said Captain Erin King of the bounce back from defeat to the USA last week: “Last week asked questions of us and I think we answered them today"It was tough, we learned a lot, we had a really good training week and we showed out there in parts what we can do."But fair play to Japan, they really brought it to us and it was no easy feat."Brittany Hogan had bagged the game’s first two scores before Beibhinn Parsons added the first of her brace after 37 minutes.However a yellow card for King saw Japan score late first-half and early second tries.Substitute Aoife Dalton restored Ireland’s comfort zone on the scoreboard before Japan pegged them back again with a third tryParsons's second touchdown, a spectacular solo effort down the right soon after, had her side comfortable again before a try for the visitors at the close once against narrowed the gap to seven points.

Added coach Scott Bemand: "I'm delighted for the girls because they had a bit of adversity in the second half."They were playing into a strong Galway breeze and they've had to work out how to unlock the edges with possessions through the middle, you couldn't just rely on the kicking game to gain territory."I think we've worked our way through a game there. I think we'll look back and say we left three out there in the first half and that scoreboard should have looked a little bit more favourable for us."Ireland: Flood; Parsons, McGann, Higgins, Elmes Kinlan; O'Brien, Reilly; O'Dowd, Jones, Cahill; Wall, Tuite-O'Sullivan; Hogan, King (capt), Adams Verling.Replacements: Buttimer, McGrath, Djougang, Clohessy, Moore, Lane, Dalton, Gallagher.Japan: Nishi; S Nishimura, Kataoka, Furuta, Imakugi; Harada, Tsukui (capt); Komaki, Nagaoka, Kitano; Kawamura, Sato; Asari, Korai, Nduka.Replacements: Nagata, Yoshida, Fuji, Yoshimura, M Nishimura, Seo, Yamamoto, Havili Kagawa.

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