Ireland Women’s Sevens Squad Confirmed For Canada 7s
Anthony Eddy, the IRFU Director of Women’s and Sevens Rugby, has named the Ireland Women’s Sevens squad to compete at the Canada 7s tournament in Langford this Saturday and Sunday.
The girls in green will be captained by Lucy Mulhall, and the selected squad shows just one change from the last leg of the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Kitakyushu just over two weeks ago, with Ulster’s Claire Boles coming into the line-up.
The remainder of the squad all featured in Japan, with Ashleigh Baxter, Kathy Baker, Stacey Flood, Katie Fitzhenry, Louise Galvin, Eve Higgins, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe, Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird, Audrey O’Flynn and Hannah Tyrrell all selected.
Ireland will be familiar with their Pool C opponents, Australia, Canada and Spain, as they played all three teams in Japan. They defeated Spain in their opening game, lost to eventual runners-up Australia in their second game and recorded a first ever victory over Canada on day 2, with teenage new cap Kathy Baker scoring a ‘golden try’ in additional time to claim the win.
Commenting on the squad announcement, Anthony Eddy said: “This weekend will be exciting because we play three tough games in the pool – Spain will be confident following their semi-final finish in Kitakyushu, Australia are in a position that they can wrap up the overall series, and Canada will be on home ground.
“That will certainly be a challenge but the girls know what they are capable and of and exactly what is required to get the performance they are looking for.”
World Rugby will broadcast the games via www.worldrugby.org and the World Rugby Sevens Facebook page – www.facebook.com/worldrugby7s. The Canada 7s is the fourth stage of the World Series, with the final stop in Paris on June 8-10.
The Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams will both compete at July’s Rugby World Cup Sevens tournament in San Francisco, and tickets are available to buy online here.
The Ireland Sevens jerseys are available to buy online here from Elverys Intersport, official sports retailer of the IRFU.
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2017/18 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series – Canada 7s, Westhills Stadium, Langford, Canada, Saturday, May 12-Sunday, May 13):
Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke/Ulster)
Kathy Baker (Blackrock/Leinster)
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum) (capt)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
Deirbhile Nic a Bhaird (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Audrey O’Flynn (Ireland Sevens)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS FIXTURES – CANADA 7s:
Saturday, May 12 –
Pool C:
Spain v Ireland, Westhills Stadium, 11.14am local time/7.14pm Irish time
Australia v Ireland, Westhills Stadium, 2.30pm local time/10.30pm Irish time
Ireland v Canada, Westhills Stadium, 5pm local time/1am Irish time
Sunday, May 13 –
Play-Offs
For more information on the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series, visit www.worldrugby.org/sevens-series.