French Touch For Munster Trio

Once again there will be three Munster representatives on Anthony Eddy’s Ireland Women’s Sevens squad, as they travel to France to compete at the opening round of the Rugby Europe Grand Prix in Malemort this weekend.

Chloe Blackmore, Claire Keohane and Louise Galvin join all nine fellow team-mates from the Langford Sevens last month for both the tournament in Malemore, and final stage of the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in Clermont the following weekend on Saturday 24^th and Sunday 25^th of June.

Malemort is the first of two stages of the Rugby Europe Grand Prix, with the second stage taking place in Kazan, Russia on the 8^th and 9th of July.

Megan Williams also returns to the squad and UCD’s Anna McGann, who was the 13^th squad member in Canada, will win her first senior Ireland 7s cap should she make the match day squad. Cork’s Audrey O’Flynn, who has progressed through the Sevens programme, will also continue from the Langford tournament in Canada that took place in May.

Ireland are seeking to qualify for next summer’s Sevens World Cup in San Francisco via the Rugby Europe Grand Prix, where two places are available. They begin their Pool C on Saturday, playing Italy, Portugal, and then England.

Of the five European sides that are core teams on this year’s World Series circuit, England and Ireland are they only two sides competing on the Grand Prix Series who will not have secured a place at the 2018 World Cup.

Spain qualify for the San Francisco tournament due to their placing at the 2013 competition, while Russia and France will secure their spots due to their finishing on this year’s World Series.

Ireland and England will compete for the final two places, alongside the likes of the Netherlands, Italy and Wales.

The Irish side guaranteed their place as a core team for next season’s World Series when they beat England on Day 2 in Langford to claim 7^th place (their highest ever placing as a core team).

Ireland Women’s 7s Squad for Malemort and Clermont 7s
Ashleigh Baxter (Cooke RFC / Ulster)
Chloe Blackmore (St. Mary’s College RFC/Munster)
Claire Keohane (UL Bohemian RFC / Munster)
Stacey Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster)
Kim Flood (Railway Union RFC / Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian RFC / Munster)
Katie Heffernan (Mullingar RFC / Railway Union RFC (dual status) /Leinster)
Anna McGann (UCD RFC / Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (Rathdrum RFC / Leinster) (captain)
Amee-Leigh Murphy-Crowe (Railway Union RFC / Munster)
Sene Naoupu (Aylesford Bulls)
Audrey O’Flynn (Ireland 7s Programme)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere RFC / Leinster)
Megan Williams (St. Mary’s College RFC)