Ireland Sevens Squads Revealed For RugbyX Debut In London
Ireland Men's Seven cptain Billy Dardis is looking forward to playing at the inaugural RugbyX tournament in London next week ©INPHO/Oisin Keniry
The Ireland Men’s and Women’s Sevens squads have been announced for next week’s inaugural RugbyX tournament.
This one-day event takes place next Tuesday (October 29) at the O2 Arena in London. Tickets are available to buy online now.
RugbyX is a new, fast-paced format of rugby which is World Rugby approved. It is full contact rugby on a half-sized pitch. Each team will have five players on the pitch at any one time with up to seven rolling substitutes.
Lineouts, conversions and penalties have been removed which will lead to a quicker game. Each game will last ten minutes, with no half time.
Ireland, England, France, the USA, Argentina and the Barbarians will compete in the Men’s tournament. The Billy Dardis-led Ireland side, who are preparing for their debut on the World Series as a core team, will feature in Group A alongside the Barbarians and hosts England.
Captained this time by Katie Fitzhenry, the Ireland Women will play the USA in their semi-final at the O2, before facing either England or France in their final game on Tuesday evening.
Speaking ahead of the tournament in London, Anthony Eddy, the IRFU’s Director of Sevens and Women’s Rugby, said:
We are really looking forward to competing at RugbyX in London, it should be a great spectacle of rugby. This is the first event of this kind and both the Men’s and Women’s teams are looking forward to competing. There’s some great opposition and it should be a tremendous display of skills.”
Tickets are available for this spectacular rugby event from www.rugbyx.com.
RUGBYX IRELAND MATCH SCHEDULE – O2 Arena, London, Tuesday, October 29:
4.30pm: Ireland Men v Barbarians
5pm: Ireland Women v USA
5.15pm: Ireland Men v England
8.30pm: Men Quarter-Final 1
8.45pm: Men Quarter-Final 2
9pm: Women 3rd/4th Place Play-Off
9.15pm: Men Semi-Final 1
9.30pm: Men Semi-Final 2
9.45pm: Women’s Final
10pm: Men’s Final
IRELAND MEN’S SEVENS Squad (2019 RugbyX Tournament, O2 Arena, London):
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock College/Leinster)
Adam Leavy (Lansdowne)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College) (capt)
Cormac Izuchukwu (Old Wesley)
Greg O’Shea (Shannon)
Harry McNulty (UCD)
Hugo Lennox (Clontarf)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College)
Max O’Reilly (Dublin University/Leinster)
Sean Cribbin (Old Belvedere)
Jack Daly (Garryowen/Munster)
IRELAND WOMEN’S SEVENS Squad (2019 RugbyX Tournament, O2 Arena, London):
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Kathy Baker (Blackrock/Leinster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster) (capt)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar/Railway Union/Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Lucinda Kinghan (DCU/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Stephanie Carroll (Railway Union/Munster)