Ireland Women Drawn With Spain For European Olympic Qualifier

The pools and day one fixtures for the upcoming Rugby Europe Olympic qualifying tournament in Kazan have been confirmed, with the Ireland Women’s Sevens team set to face Spain, Romania and the Czech Republic in Pool C.

The tournament will be held in the Russian city’s Central Stadium on July 13-14 as twelve teams compete for a single place at Tokyo 2020. Only the champions in Kazan will qualify, while the second and third-place finishers will advance to next year’s World Rugby Repechage where two Olympic berths are available.

The Ireland Women are very familiar with Spain, the two teams having met regularly in the last few seasons on the World Series and European circuits. Ireland defeated Spain 22-7 on the way to their best ever World Series of fourth in Sydney in February, while it was one win apiece at last weekend’s Marcoussis 7s.

The Pool C line-up is completed by Romania and the Czech Republic, who finished second and third respectively in this summer’s European Sevens Trophy competition. The other pools are headed up by France and hosts Russia, who clashed in the Marcoussis final which les Bleues won 15-7.

England complete the quintet of World Series sides who are hoping to triumph in Kazan. Ireland were a whisker away from beating France last Sunday, the tournament also helping Poland and Italy to prepare for the Olympic qualifier. Germany and Romania are also on the up having both won European Trophy legs last month.