IRFU Announce Ireland Women’s Sevens Team Structures

The IRFU have announced details of the Ireland Women’s Sevens structures with the primary target of qualification for the IRB 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow.

The process began in April, with players from Connacht, Leinster, Munster, Ulster and the Exiles participating in an interprovincial blitz. From this, a 21 player training and competition squad was selected by newly appointed Women’s Sevens Coach Jon Skurr.

Former Munster Rugby Women’s Development Officer and Munster Representative, Gemma Crowley has been appointed as team manager. Gemma, who is also the fifteen-a-side Women’s Team Manager will work with the panel throughout their extended preparations. This will incorporate warm up tournaments in Kinsale, Amsterdam and Bournemouth during May and June.

The squad which includes seven Munster players are currently two weeks into the training programme. Division One table toppers, UL Bohemians have six representatives in the squad while Tralee who finished top of Division 2S have one player named in the squad.

Ireland will begin their qualification campaign with a tournament in Ghent, Belgium from June 8th – 10th, where they will face opposition from Scotland, Poland, Georgia and Belgium. Should they secure a top two finish, Ireland will progress to the final European qualifying tournament in Moscow from June 28th – July 1st. From this, the top five teams will advance to the World Championships in 2013.

Ireland Women’s Sevens Squad

Ashleigh Baxter (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Lynne Cantwell (Richmond/Exiles)
Nicole Caughey (Belfast Harlequins/Ulster)
Amy Davis (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Jeannette Feighery (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Shannon Houston (Blackrock College RFC/Leinster)
Ashling Hutchings (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Niamh Kavanagh (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)
Claire Molloy (Bristol RFC/Exiles/Connacht)
Jacqueline Mulligan (Sligo/Connacht)
Jennifer Murphy (Richmond/Exiles)
Joy Neville (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Áine Ní Chatháin (Garda RFC/Leinster)
Mollie O'Donnell (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Laura O'Mahony (Tralee/Munster)
Beth O'Brien (Oxford University/Exiles)
Rachael Potter (Saracens/Exiles)
Meadhbh Westwood (Waterloo/Exiles)

*Final player to be confirmed following April training camps.

Ireland Women’s Sevens Schedule

Date/Event

April 6th: Interprovincial competition/screening (65 players)
April 13th – 28th: Weekend training camps (21 players)
May 4th – 6th: Kinsale Sevens (12 players)
May 12th – 13th: Camp (21 players)
May 18th – 20th: Amsterdam Sevens (12 players)
May 26th – 27th: Camp (21 players)
June 1st – 3rd: Bournemouth Sevens (12 players)
June 8th – 10th: FIRA Qualifying, Ghent, Belgium (12 players)
June 23rd: Camp (14 players)
June 28th – July 1st: FIRA Qualifying, Moscow (12 players)