Daly Makes Ireland 7s Squad

Greencore Munster Rugby Academy member and Cork Constitution man Shane Daly has been named in the Ireland squad for the Dubai 7s next weekend.

Former Munster player and current Shannon winger Luke O'Dea has also been included along with former Academy man Harry McNulty, now with UCD.

IRFU Director of Sevens Rugby Anthony Eddy has named a new and exciting looking Ireland Men's Sevens side for the first tournament of the season at the Men's International Invitational at the Dubai 7s on the 2nd and 3rd of December.

McNulty and St. Mary's back Steve Toal-Lennon both competed at the Olympic Repechage in Monaco back in June and joining them in the squad for Dubai are experienced 7s Internationals Nick Timoney and Terry Kennedy.

The National 7s programme welcomes back Kennedy after he missed most of last season's 7s tournaments as he was representing Ireland U20s. Shannon's O'Dea and Lansdowne's John O'Donnell, who both won Ireland Sevens caps at the Rugby Europe Trophy tournament last season, are also included along with Buccaneers winger Jordan Conroy and David Busby.

Conroy and Ulster Academy's Busby both gained valuable experience through the 7s programme last season. New to the Sevens program this season are two of Kennedy's former-Ireland U20s players in former PBC and Munster centre Daly and UCD and Leinster centre Jimmy O'Brien.

Connacht and Galwegians scrum-half Conor Lowndes is also new to the 7s programme and has earned selection in the Dubai squad. The National 7s programme has also included former Connacht wing and current Naas player Fionn Carr. Carr won 110 caps for Connacht, as well as 38 with Leinster and was part of the Connacht side that claimed the Guinness PRO12 title last season.

On the confirmation of the squad for Dubai, Eddy said; “With a number of players who were involved with the Ireland Sevens squad last season seeing an increased involvement within their provinces this year – the likes of Leinster's Adam Byrne, Tom Daly, Barry Daly and Rory O'Loughlin and Munster's Dan Goggin and Alex Wootton have all featured in Guinness PRO12 games this season, there is the opportunity for a new group of players to experience what the game of rugby sevens has to offer.

“Dubai marks the beginning of the new campaign for us, and while our main programme will begin in the New Year as we look towards the Rugby Europe Grand Prix Series, Dubai gives everyone the chance to get out and play in a competitive environment. We are in a pool with Germany's Development side, Zambia and Georgia. This will be a very competitive and challenging pool. It will give us the opportunity to see what stage of development we are at with this group of players.”

Ireland Men's Sevens Squad – Dubai 7s Men's International Invitational
David Busby – Ballynahinch / Ulster
Fionn Carr – Naas
Jordan Conroy – Buccaneers
Shane Daly – Cork Con / Munster
Terry Kennedy – St. Mary's / Leinster
Conor Lowndes – Galwegians / Connacht
Harry McNulty – UCD
Jimmy O'Brien – UCD / Leinster
Luke O'Dea – Shannon
John O'Donnell – Lansdowne FC
Nick Timoney – Queens University / Ulster
Steve Toal-Lennon – St. Mary's RFC

Ireland Men's Sevens Squad Fixtures
Dubai 7s Men's International Invitational, Sevens Stadium, Dubai – Pool B

Friday, December 2
Ireland v Germany Development – 2pm (local time) / 10am (Irish time)
Ireland v Zambia 7s – 4.20pm (local time) / 12.20pm (Irish time)
Ireland v Georgia 7s – 6.20pm (local time) / 2.20pm (Irish time)

Saturday, December 3, Play-offs