IRFU Director of Women’s and Sevens Rugby, Anthony Eddy, has selected two 13-player panels for the start of the new season, as the World Series gets back up and running with the first of two tournaments at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai from 26-27 November.
Lucy Mulhall leads the Ireland Women as they make a welcome return to World Series action for the first time since Sydney in February 2020, and there is an exciting blend of youth and experience to the squad, including the uncapped Erin King who stood out for Leinster in last summer’s Under-18 Women’s Interprovincial Championship.
The likes of Stacey Flood, Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe and Eve Higgins add plenty of World Series experience as Ireland under the guidance of Eddy and incoming Head Coach, Aiden McNulty, kick off their 2022 campaign against Fiji in Pool B on Friday morning (9.22am local time/5.22am Irish time).
Ireland Women then face familiar foes Great Britain (12.34pm local time/8.34am Irish time) and Canada (6.07pm local time/2.07pm Irish time) in further Pool outings on Friday, before going head-to-head with Russia in their final first round clash on Saturday (9.44am local time/5.44am Irish time).
Ireland Men, meanwhile, have six Olympians in their ranks as they bid to build on their historic appearance in Tokyo during the summer and two positive World Series tournaments in Canada in September. Billy Dardis once again captains the side, with Jack Kelly, Mark Roche, Bryan Mollen, Hugo Lennox and Terry Kennedy all named in the squad for Dubai.
Coached by James Topping, Ireland get the Men’s tournament up and running against South Africa on Friday morning (9.32am local time/5.32am Irish time). Pool C clashes against Great Britain (1.46pm local time/9.46am Irish time) and Japan (4.08pm local time/12.08pm Irish time) follow on Friday.
Commenting ahead of the Dubai 7s, Eddy said: “Both squads are extremely excited to be back on the World Series and Dubai is always a quality tournament and a great experience for the players. The teams will be very eager to perform well over the two weekends of competition and get off to a good start for the Series ahead.”
All games are available to watch live on World Rugby’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series website here, while there will be live coverage on the Irish Rugby social media channels.
Ireland Women’s Sevens Squad:
Kathy Baker (Blackrock College RFC)
Claire Boles (Railway Union RFC)
Brittany Hogan (Ballynahinch RFC/Old Belvedere RFC)
Erin King (Old Belvedere RFC)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar RFC/Railway Union RFC)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC)
Aoibheann Reilly (Blackrock College RFC)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum RFC) (capt)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union RFC)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Suttonians RFC)
Béibhinn Parsons (Blackrock College RFC)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union RFC)
Megan Burns (Blackrock College RFC)
Ireland Men’s Sevens Squad:
Jack Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Liam Turner (Dublin University FC/Leinster)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne FC)
Zac Ward (Ballynahinch RFC)
Bryan Mollen (Blackrock College RFC)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College RFC) (capt)
Sean Cribbin (Suttonians RFC)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries RFC)
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock College RFC)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College RFC)
Niall Comerford (UCD RFC/Leinster)
Ed Kelly (Dublin University FC)
Jude Postlethwaite (Banbridge RFC/Ulster).