Ireland women's 7s team book place at World Cup

Ireland's women's 7s team have qualified for the World Cup in South Africa later this year after making it to the semi-finals of the Rugby Europe qualifying competition in Bucharest.

In the pool stages Ireland eased to a 62-0 defeat of Wales on Saturday, a 27-0 win against Germany and then a 52-0 hammering of the Czech Republic.

That set up a quarter-final against Portugal, and with the last four guaranteed a World Cup spot, the stakes were high.

Aiden McNulty's side held their nerve to turn over the Portuguese and seal their place at September's World Cup in Cape Town. Sixteen teams will compete at the tournament over three days from 9 to 11 September.