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Olympic qualification countdown continues with Ireland men and women's squads set for Paris 7s

Anthony Eddy has fresh faces on board as his men embark on another testing tournament.

THE FINAL LEG of the men’s Sevens World Series in Paris will give Ireland men another close-up view of the teams they will be facing on a regular basis in next year’s tournament.

Both Anthony Eddy’s men and Stan McDowell’s women will be more acutely focused on the need to build form ahead of Olympic qualifiers in July.

Ireland’s men are at the French leg of the World Series as an invitational side again after last week’s strong showing in London. 

The squad sees a host of changes with Jordan Conroy, Terry Kennedy, Adam Leavy and Mark Roche all rested while the uncapped Peter Maher of Old Belvedere and former Roscrea College star Cormac Izuchukwu are drafted in.

Cormac Izuchukwu with James McElroy Cormac Izuchukwu has a cut for Roscrea last year. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO

The in-form men’s side will travel to Colomiers for Olympic qualifying on 13-14 July where they will face stiff competition from England, who cannot finish in the top four automatic qualifying places in the World Series. Only winner of the July tournament winner will earn qualification, with other hopefuls pitted into a repechage for the final places.

Ireland’s women will also take aim at a place in Tokyo 2020 on 13-14 July in Kazan, but their trip to Paris this weekend will see them take on the hosts in two exhibition matches while the men’s tournament breaks on Saturday.

Ireland’s Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe runs in for a try Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe will captain Ireland this weekend. Inpho / Billy Stickland Inpho / Billy Stickland / Billy Stickland

France are the best-ranked European side in the women’s game (fifth) and McDowell’s charges will hope the fixtures prove a valuable build-up to the final leg of their World Series campaign in Biarritz, 15-16 June, where they will aim to improve on their current eighth place.

Ireland Men (Paris 7s 2019)

Jack Daly (Garryowen/Munster)
Shane Daly (Cork Constitution/Munster)
Billy Dardis (UCD) Captain
Ian Fitzpatrick (Lansdowne)
Cormac (Izzy) Izuchukwu (Old Wesley)*
Jack Kelly (Dublin University/Leinster)
Hugo Lennox (Clontarf)
Harry McNulty (UCD)
Peter Maher (Old Belvedere)*
Mick McGrath (Clontarf)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College)
Greg O’Shea (Shannon)
Peter Sullivan (Lansdowne)

Saturday pool fixtures (to be broadcast on Sky Sports Arena)

Ireland v Argentina, 11.28am (Irish time)
Ireland v England, 2.54pm (Irish time)
Ireland v Fiji,  6.42pm (Irish time)

Ireland Women 7s (v France)

Kathy Baker (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian/Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union/Leinster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Brittany Hogan (Railway Union/Ulster)
Emily Lane (Mallow/Munster)
Anna McGann (UCD/Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union/Munster) Captain
Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)  

Gavan Casey is joined by Murray Kinsella and Sean Farrell for a review of the 2018/19 season, and cast an eye forward to next year and the Rugby World Cup in Japan.:


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    Mute Eddie Hekenui
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    May 29th 2019, 10:08 AM

    Tough blow to lose so many important players. Molony and Penny were two of the stars of the 6 Nations while Byrne and Hackshaw were key playmakers at 10 and 12 with Hacksahw being the captain. I’d fancy Allison to come into the backrow instead of Molony without too much drop off in quality as he might have started if he’d been fit for the 6 Nations. Replacing Penny is nigh on impossible but Healy and French/Moore will do a fine job coming in at 10 and 12. The issue will be the lack of depth now we’re down some big players and guys having so many big games in such a short period of time.

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    Mute Anthony
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    May 29th 2019, 10:06 AM

    Its concerning the amount of serious injuries in a young squad like that already

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    Mute Exiled Dub
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    May 29th 2019, 9:43 AM

    One “IQ” player is that a good return should there be more

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    Mute Stephen Elliott
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    May 29th 2019, 10:01 AM

    @Exiled Dub: why should there be more?

    also Iwan Hughes is a IQ rugby product who is with Ulster now.

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    Mute Martin Quinn
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    May 29th 2019, 1:06 PM

    I wonder how the other home countries are getting on, say England next week ?? Do we have the worst list ???)

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    Mute Glenbower
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    May 29th 2019, 1:39 PM

    @Martin Quinn: A few injuries and also the unavailability of #10 Marcus Smith because he’s playing for England development XV vs the Barbarians ! A disappointing priority for the rest of the squad, I imagine.

    See https://www.englandrugby.com/news/england-men-u20s-squad-update/

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    Mute Glenbower
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    May 29th 2019, 1:46 PM

    @Martin Quinn: No mention of Australian injuries here:

    https://www.rugby.com.au/news/2019/05/07/world-u20-championships-junior-wallabies-squad

    They beat NZ 24-0 in a final recently !

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    Mute Glenbower
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    May 29th 2019, 1:57 PM

    @Martin Quinn: Italy had to omit 3 injured players who were “more or less important”. See:

    https://www.federugby.it/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=112&Itemid=427

    So my guess is that our missing 5, 6, 7, 10 and 12 represent the greatest omissions in our group.

    Ah well, cometh the hour, cometh the man …

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    Mute Eddie Hekenui
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    May 29th 2019, 2:21 PM

    @Martin Quinn: https://u20rugby.wordpress.com if you’re interested keep an eye on this

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    Mute Martin Quinn
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    May 29th 2019, 4:53 PM

    @Glenbower:

    Thanks for that :: Glen

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    Mute Martin Quinn
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    May 29th 2019, 4:55 PM

    @Eddie Hekenui:

    Thanks for that :: EDDIE

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