Who are Ireland playing?
THE MEN’S TEAM are in Pool A and open their campaign against South Africa at 4.30pm (Irish time) on Wednesday 24 July, before playing Japan at 8pm later that day. Their final pool game is against New Zealand at 3.30pm on Thursday 25 July.
The women’s team will compete in Pool B, kicking off against Great Britain at 2.30pm on Sunday 28 July. They then play South Africa that evening (6pm) before facing Australia (1.30pm) the following day.
When and where can I watch the matches?
All the games will be broadcast live on RTÉ.
How have Ireland been playing this season?
The men’s squad enjoyed a superb season, finishing second overall in the HSBC SVNS Series to mark their best-ever campaign. They travel to the Games with realistic hopes of a medal, and James Topping’s men have plenty of momentum heading to Paris having won the last Rugby Europe Sevens Championship tournament of the summer – beating France in the final at the Hamburg Sevens.
The Women’s squad broke new ground earlier in the year when they won their first gold medal on the SVNS circuit, conquering hosts Australia in the final of the Perth Sevens.
Their form since has been mixed, with Allan Temple-Jones’ team placing seventh in the overall standings, but the performance in Perth is the marker they will be looking to replicate at the Games.
Three players to watch on the Irish team
Harry McNulty is the men’s captain, and one of the surviving members from the relaunch of the men’s Sevens programme in 2015. Terry Kennedy has also been there since the start and not only is he one of Ireland’s leading scoring threats, he’s one of the most talented players on the Sevens circuit and was the top try-scorer on the world series this season. Hugo Keenan’s return has been the big story around the squad but having Connacht flyer Andrew Smith back on board is also significant.
Lucy Rock (née Mulhall) captains the Women’s team, and has overcome a worrying hamstring injury to make the squad. Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe’s lighting pace is a real weapon for Ireland, and Connacht woman Béibhinn Parsons is capable of conjuring moments of magic out of nothing.
One team to watch from outside Ireland
France are the favourites to win the men’s gold and no matter what happens, they’ll be worth a watch for the simple fact that 15s superstar Antoine Dupont is on board. The gifted Toulouse player couldn’t lead his nation to glory at last year’s home World Cup but he’s been lighting it up since joining the Sevens squad and could be set to add another title to his recent Top 14/Champions Cup double.
Australia led the way in the women’s SVNS series for most of the season before being pipped by New Zealand in the overall standings, but recovered to come out on top in the Grand Final. Australia are in Ireland’s group, which looks the toughest of the lot, but will fancy their chances of repeating their gold-medal heroics from Rio 2016 after disappointing in Tokyo three years ago.
