Irish Women Set For Rugby World Cup Sevens
Ireland Women’s Sevens captain Claire Molloy said today that her 12-strong squad are ‘ready and relishing’ their Rugby World Cup Sevens challenge this weekend after completing their first training session in Moscow.
The squad, which contains several of the 2013 Grand Slam winners – including Ireland’s most-capped player Lynne Cantwell, will be looking for big performances this weekend as they continue on their Olympic Sevens programme for the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Ireland’s Lynne Cantwell, Alison Miller and Ashleigh Baxter will host a live Q&A session at 6pm (Irish time) tomorrow on the IRB Women’s Rugby Twitter account @irbwomens.
Speaking ahead of the games this weekend, captain Claire Molloy said: “When we started the Sevens programme last year we set the Rugby World Cup as our goal. We worked very hard and are ready and relishing the challenge ahead this weekend.
“This is the latest step in our Olympic Sevens programme and while our ultimate goal is to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympics, we are focused on big games against South Africa, Australia and China this Saturday.”
Cantwell added: “We have a really tough and exciting pool of hugely varied playing styles in Australia, South Africa and China.
“As a player, I enjoy watching how Australia play as they have a lot of fearless and exciting players who have so much to offer. They would be wrong to underestimate us as we proved you can’t take your eye off the prize by beating them in China.”
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens, Gorodok Stadium, Luzhniki Olympic Complex, Moscow, Russia, Saturday, June 29-Sunday, June 30):
1. Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster) *
2. Claire Molloy (Bristol/Exile) (capt) *
3. Sophie Spence (Mowden Sharks/Exile) *
4. Jeannette Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster)
5. Larissa Muldoon (UWIC/Exile) *
6. Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exile) *
7. Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht) *
8. Shannon Houston (Blackrock College/Leinster) *
9. Amy Davis (Blackock College/Ulster) *
10. Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster) *
11. Laura O’Mahony (Tralee/Munster)
12. Nicole Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Injured: Niamh Briggs, Niamh Kavanagh, Ashling Hutchings, Claire Keohane, Carol Staunton.
* Players Involved in the 2013 RBS 6 Nations Championship
Ireland Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens Fixtures –
Saturday, June 29 – Pool B
South Africa v Ireland, Gorodok Stadium, 10.06am local time/7.06am Irish time
Australia v Ireland, Gorodok Stadium, 12.40pm local time/9.40am Irish time
China v Ireland, Luzhniki Stadium, 3.58pm local time/12.58pm Irish time
Sunday, June 30 – Play-Offs
Related Links –
Squad Named For Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens
Ireland Women Finish Fifth In European Sevens Series
Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens