Ireland Women return to World Series action this weekend.
The Ireland Sevens squads, sponsored by TritonLake, are facing into a crucial weekend of HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series action in Vancouver, as the race to qualify for the 2024 Olympics hots up.
The World Series rolls into BC Place this Friday for a blockbuster double-header tournament, with both Ireland Men and Women determined to boost their chances of securing an automatic spot at the 2024 Games in Paris.
The top four teams in the Series standings book their ticket to Paris, and with just five tournaments remaining on the Men’s circuit and three on the Women’s, the race to qualify hits a critical juncture in Vancouver.
Ireland Men currently sit ninth in the overall standings and require a strong performance this weekend to inject momentum into their season, with James Topping‘s side hoping to qualify for back-to-back Olympics after their historic maiden appearance in Tokyo in 2020.
Ireland Men open their Canada Sevens campaign against the host nation on Friday (9.45pm Irish time), before further Pool matches against Chile (4.35am Irish time Saturday) and Australia (10.57pm Irish time Saturday).
Tom Roche and Zac Ward come into Ireland’s 13-man squad for Vancouver from last weekend’s tournament in LA.
Ireland Women, meanwhile, resume their quest for Olympic qualification in fifth position overall with stopovers in Hong Kong and Toulouse left on the Series after this weekend in Vancouver.
The Lucy Mulhall-captained side have narrowly missed out on bronze medal finishes in the last three tournaments in Cape Town, Hamilton and Sydney and will be aiming to go one better this weekend, as they bid to further strengthen their case for a first ever Olympic qualification.
Ireland Women have been paired in Pool C alongside Canada, Brazil and USA, with their first game up against the hosts on Friday (6.43pm Irish time), before going head-to-head with Brazil (12.58am Irish time Saturday) and USA (7.50pm Irish time Saturday).
You can watch all the World Series action here.
IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS Squad (HSBC Canada Sevens, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada, March 03-05, 2023):
Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Matt McDonald (IQ Rugby)
Tom Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Harry McNulty (UCD RFC)
Bryan Mollen (UCD RFC)
Dylan O’Grady (UCD RFC)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Andrew Smith (Clontarf FC/Leinster)
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (HSBC Canada Sevens, BC Place, Vancouver, Canada, March 03-05, 2023):
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC)
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Railway Union RFC)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Vicky Elmes Kinlan (Wicklow RFC)
Emily Lane (Blackrock College RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Wicklow RFC) (capt)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
IRELAND SEVENS Schedule – Canada Sevens:
Friday, March 3:
- Ireland Women v Canada, 6.43pm Irish time
- Ireland Men v Canada, 9.45pm Irish time
Saturday, March 4:
- Ireland Women v Brazil, 12.58am Irish time
- Ireland Men v Chile, 4.35am Irish time
- Ireland Women v USA, 7.50pm Irish time
- Ireland Men v Australia, 10.57pm Irish time
Sunday, March 5:
- Play-off matches.
