RUGBY
Rugby union (15s rugby) was a men’s medal sport at the 1900 Games in Paris, the 1908 Games in London, the 1920 Games in Antwerp and the 1924 Games in Paris following which it was removed from the Olympic programme.
Rugby 7s was introduced to the Summer Olympic programme at the 2016 Games in Rio with both a men’s and women’s competition. Rugby 7s is a fast paced game with each match comprising two seven minute halves. The entire competition usually takes place over two days.
The competition comprises 12 men’s and 12 women’s teams. The competition format involves pool play followed by a knockout round. There are three pools of four teams each. At the end of pool play, the eight best teams qualify for the quarterfinals. The winner of the final earns the gold medal and the final runner-up earns silver. The two losing semi-finalists play a third-place playoff to determine who earns the bronze medal.
National Federation: Irish Rugby Football Union
International Federation: World Rugby
RUGBY NEWS
Allianz supporting the next generation of Team Ireland athletes at Sport Ireland Campus Kids’ Camp
Allianz supporting the next generation of Team Ireland athletes at Sport Ireland Campus Kids’ Camp Thousands of children will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in an Olympian environment at Sport Ireland Campus this summer, in the build up to Paris 2024 and during Team Ireland’s centenary celebration of participation at the Olympic Games. The partnership […]
Weekend Recap | Rugby, Athletics, Show Jumping
Ireland dominate to win fifth Wellington CSIO4* Nations Cup The Underwriting Exchange Irish Show Jumping team won a fifth CSIO4* Wellington International Nations Cup after an utterly dominant performance at the Florida venue overnight. Michael Blake’s team of Darragh Kenny on Eddy Blue, David O’Brien on El Balou Old, Shane Sweetnam on RR Combella and [...]
CHILDREN NATIONWIDE TO JOIN OLYMPIANS ON ROAD TO PARIS
OLYMPIC FEDERATION OF IRELAND LAUNCHES ROAD TO PARIS – THE OLYMPIC SCHOOLS CHALLENGE Schools nationwide are invited to join the Irish Olympic team on an interactive journey to the Olympic Games in Paris. The challenge is part of the OFI’s ‘Dare to Believe’ programme supported by PTSB Today the Olympic Federation of Ireland, together […]
Ireland Women Sevens Team Strike Gold In Perth
The Ireland Women (sponsored by TritonLake) enjoyed a dream final day in Perth as they upset highly-fancied Australia to win their first ever HSBC SVNS Series tournament. The trophy-clinching 19-14 victory represents another milestone achievement for the IRFU Sevens Programmes, coming just minutes after the Ireland Men had finished the Australian leg as bronze medal winners, having beaten [...]
SELECTED ATHLETES
Jack Kelly
Jack KellyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Jack, who captained Ireland in the 2017 U20 Six Nations, came through the Leinster academy and played one Pro14 game, against Ospreys, in 2018. He made his international Sevens debut in London 2019 and He 2019- 2020 was his breakout season. He studies law at Trinity College and is fluent in [...]
Gavin Mullin
Gavin MullinRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY The team’s newest addition. Gavin came through the Leinster academy. made two Pro14 appearances and played for Ireland U20s in 2017. First Sevens games versus GB and USA in May 2021 but still technically ‘uncapped’. He was due to debut in the Olympic qualifier in Monaco but got injured beforehand. He [...]
Hugo Lennox
Hugo LennoxRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Hugo starred for Skerries Community School when they got the Leinster School’s Cup semi-finals in 2016 and has played AIL with Clontarf and his home club but also played briefly for Barnhall while studying at Maynooth University. Debut was London 2019 and has blossomed since. His brother Conor also stars for [...]
Ian Fitzpatrick
Ian FitzpatrickRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another of Ireland Seven’s five ‘Originals’ Ian came through the Leinster academy at the same time as team captain Billy Dardis and played U20 for Ireland in 2014. He made his Sevens debut in Zagreb in 2015 and has been fulltime since 2018 but had a bad run of injuries. He [...]
Bryan Mollen
Bryan MollenRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Born in Nairobi, to a Dutch father and Dublin mother, Brian has lived all around the world (Kenya, Holland, France, Australia and Belgium) due to his dad’s job as a diplomat. His rugby breakthrough came in Blackrock College where he was on a winning Leinster Schools squad that included Joey Carbery [...]
Greg O’Shea
Greg O’SheaRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Greg was a talented sprinter and represented Ireland in the 2011 Youth Olympics in Turkey before coming through the Munster academy. Made his Sevens debut in Lodz 2017. Originally not picked for the final Olympic qualifier but when Gavin Mullen was ruled out with injury he got called up and played [...]
Jordan Conroy
Jordan ConroyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY The Offaly flier is a superstar on the world stage. He started out as a very promising runner and soccer player before concentrating on rugby, initially with Buccaneers in the All-Ireland league, with whom Irish coach Anthony Eddy first saw him playing on the back pitch at the Aviva stadium. Jordan’s [...]
Terry Kennedy
Terry KennedyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another ‘original’. One was the Irish U20 team (with Hugo Keegan, Jack Stockdale and James Ryan) who reached the ‘junior’ World Cup final in 2016 and has played AIL for St Mary’s. He made his Sevens debut in Zagreb 2015 and is another flier who links brilliantly with Jordan Conroy for [...]
Harry McNulty
Harry McNultyRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Harry was born in Bahrain and lived in London too before settling in Dublin. He won a Munster schools Cup with Rockwell and is another of the team’s five ‘originals’, making his Irish debut in Bosnia 2015. In the early stages of COVID he went to USA to play for LA [...]
Mark Roche
Mark RocheRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Another of the five ‘originals’ who played for Blackrock in the AIL and for Ireland’s U20 in 2013 before joining Ireland Sevens’ inaugural squad in 2015. He was part of the side that impressed at the London Sevens invitational in 2018, beating England to claim third place. His Irish debut was [...]
Adam Leavy
ADAM LEAVYRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY A product of the Connacht Academy and played for Lansdowne before joining the Irish Sevens programme in 2017, making his debut in Exeter that year. Took a six-month break from rugby during Covid-lockdown last year to study and graduated with a Masters in finance from UCD the week before the Olympic [...]
Billy Dardis
Billy DardisRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY A member of the Leinster academy for three years and played for Ireland U20s in 2014-15. Switched to Sevens fulltime in 2017-2018 season after making his debut in Malmo 2016. Succeeded Tom Daly as Ireland captain in 2017 and captain ever since. Billy has a degree in health and performance science [...]
Foster Horan
Foster HoranRUGBY SEVENS BIOGRAPHY Foster is one the team’s five so-called ‘originals’ who have been involved since Ireland’s first Sevens squad was inaugurated in 2015. Started out with Gorey RFC and played U20 for Ireland (2012) before switching to Sevens. Had injury problems pre-Covid but now back to top form. OTHER RUGBY SEVENS ATHLETES{{ vc_btn: [...]
