Five Munster Players In Ireland Teams For Dubai 7s

IRFU Director of Sevens Rugby Anthony Eddy has named the Ireland Women’s Sevens side to compete at the first stage of the 2016-17 HSBC World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Dubai on the 1st and 2nd of December.

The side will be captained by Rathdrum's Lucy Mulhall and alongside her in the backs will be Shannon duo Aoife Doyle and Nicole Cronin, Railway Union's Stacey Flood, Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe and Old Belvedere duo Alison Miller and Hannah Tyrrell.

In the forwards, Railway Union's Emma Murphy is set to win her first full Sevens cap in Dubai and she is joined up front by Ashleigh Baxter, Katie Fitzhenry, Kim Flood and Megan Williams.

Three Munster players are named in the squad: Shannon's Doyle and Cronin and Railway Union's Murphy-Crowe.

Ireland have been drawn into a tough pool, with Olympic silver medallists and 2015/16 Women's Sevens Series runners-up New Zealand, European rivals France and the skilful Fiji.

Speaking about the tournament, Anthony Eddy said: "First of all it's great to be back on the World Rugby Women's Sevens Series this season, having claimed our place at the repechage in UCD during the summer. Re-claiming our place is really important to the continued development of the Women's Sevens Programme here in Ireland.

"We're in possibly the toughest group in Dubai, with New Zealand, France and Fiji, however the players have had a very positive pre-season. They have worked hard in the gym and on the training pitch and we had some challenge games with the French and English, so now the team are looking forward to getting the series underway and are looking into putting in a good performance in Dubai”

An Irish Women's Development squad will also compete in Dubai in the Women's International Invitational with a further two Munster players involved – Chloe Blackmore of St. Mary's College and UL Bohemians' Claire Keohane.

Keohane and Elaine Ryan both have Women's Sevens Series experience. Blackmore and Katie Heffernan both won their first senior Sevens caps last season at the Rugby Europe Grand Prix. Ireland centre Nicole Fowley, who made her 15s debut this November against England is included in the squad, as are former Ireland U-18s Sevens players Claire Boles, Mairead Hopkins and Anna McGann. Current U-18 player Eve Higgins is also included as are Jackie Kinch and UK based Annette Tomas.

Ireland Women's Sevens Squad – World Rugby Women's Sevens Series, Dubai
Ashleigh Baxter – Cooke / Ulster
Nicole Cronin – Shannon / Munster
Aoife Doyle – Shannon / Munster
Katie Fitzhenry – Blackrock College RFC / Leinster
Kim Flood – Railway Union / Leinster
Stacey Flood – Railway Union / Leinster
Alison Miller – Old Belvedere / Connacht
Lucy Mulhall – Rathdrum RFC / Leinster
Emma Murphy – Railway Union / Leinster
Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe – Railway Union / Munster
Hannah Tyrrell – Old Belvedere / Leinster
Megan Williams – Ireland 7s Programme

Ireland Women's Sevens Fixtures
Dubai 7s – HSBC Word Rugby Women's Sevens Series, Sevens Stadium, Dubai – Pool B
Thurs 1st December 2016
Ireland v New Zealand – 1.06pm (local time) / 9.06am (Irish time)
Ireland v France – 3.40pm (local time) / 11.40pm (Irish time)
Ireland v Fiji – 6.20pm (local time) / 2.20pm (Irish time)

Fri 2nd December 2016
Play-offs

Games will be streamed live here.

Ireland Women's Sevens Management
Anthony Eddy – IRFU Director of Sevens
Gillian McDarby – Team Manager
Marian Earls – S&C Coach
Lorcan McGee – Physiotherapist
Alan Walsh – Performance Analyst
Alan Farrell – Team Doctor

Ireland Women's Development Squad – Dubai Women's International Invitational
Chloe Blackmore – St. Mary's College / Munster
Claire Boles – Enniskillen / Ulster
Nicole Fowley – Galwegians / Connacht
Katie Heffernan – Mullingar / Leinster
Eve Higgins – Railway Unions / Leinster
Mairead Hopkins – Castlebar RFC / Connacht
Claire Keohane – UL Bohemians / Munster
Jackie Kinch – Ireland 7s Programme
Anna McGann – Buccaneers / Connacht
Elaine Ryan – Railway Union
Annette Tomas – Reading Abbey Ladies


Ireland Women's Development Fixtures
Dubai 7s – Dubai Women's International Invitational, Sevens Stadium, Dubai – Pool B
Thurs 1st December 2016
Ireland Development v Belgium 7s – 10.20am (local time) / 6.20am (Irish time)
Ireland Development v Poland 7s – 12.40pm (local time) / 8.40am (Irish time)
Ireland Development v Tribe 7s – 2.42pm (local time) / 10.42am (Irish time)
Ireland Development v Kenya Lionesses – 6.40pm (local time) / 2.40pm (Irish time)

Fri 2nd December 2016
Play-offs

Ireland Women's Development Management
Peter O'Donnell – Coach
Camel O'Dwyer – Team Manager
Cillian Reardon – S&C Coach
Orla Armstrong – Physiotherapist