Following last week’s Dubai Sevens, the squads arrived in South Africa on Sunday evening and Anthony Eddy, the IRFU Director of Women’s and Sevens Rugby, has confirmed his 13-player panels for the Cape Town Sevens.
The Ireland Men’s squad shows one change from their debut appearance as a World Series core team with Ireland Under-20 Grand Slam winner Liam Turner in line to win his first Sevens cap at the Cape Town Stadium.
Turner impressed for the Ireland Men’s Development team in Dubai last week and has been called up for this weekend, as Eddy’s side, who finished 12th in the season opener, prepare to face Australia, Samoa and Kenya in Pool B.
Ireland Women’s Head Coach, Stan McDowell, has also made one change to his squad for Cape Town and the third leg on the Women’s World Series circuit as Gorey teenager Kate Farrell McCabe joins the panel.
Farrell McCabe, who has come through the IRFU Women’s Development pathway and starred for the Ireland Under-18s during the summer, was one of the standout performers for the Ireland Women’s Development side as they reached the quarter-finals of the Invitational Tournament in Dubai last week.
“Both teams are excited to be in Cape Town and looking forward to the tournament starting,” Eddy said.
“The Men and Women will be looking to improve on the performances from Dubai and demonstrate greater consistency around the performances.
“Both teams have challenging Pool matches and our execution and accuracy will be vital for them to get the outcome we are looking for.”
Ireland Women, who finished 10th in Dubai, have been drawn in Pool C alongside USA, Australia and England, with McDowell’s side opening their tournament against the USA on Friday at 2.22pm local time/12.22pm Irish time.
The Cape Town Sevens will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Action and you can keep up to date with the Ireland Men’s and Women’s progress using the hashtag #Ireland7s and on the Irish Rugby social media channels throughout the week.
IRELAND MEN’S SQUAD (Cape Town 7s – Friday, December 13 – Sunday, December 15):
Aaron O’Sullivan (Blackrock/Leinster)
Adam Leavy (Lansdowne)
Billy Dardis (Terenure College)(captain)
Greg O’Shea (Shannon)
Harry McNulty (UCD)
Hugo Lennox (Skerries)
Jack Kelly (Dublin University)
John O’Donnell (Lansdowne)
Jordan Conroy (Buccaneers)
Mark Roche (Lansdowne)
Terry Kennedy (St. Mary’s College)
Liam Turner (DUFC/Leinster)
Peter Maher (Old Belvedere).
CAPE TOWN IRELAND MEN’S MATCH SCHEDULE:
Pool D:
Friday, December 13 –
Ireland v Australia, Cape Town Stadium, 4.37pm local time/2.37pm Irish time
Saturday, December 14 –
Ireland v Samoa, Cape Town Stadium, 11.19am local time/9.19am Irish time
Ireland v Kenya, Cape Town Stadium, 4.47pm local time/2.47pm Irish time
Sunday, December 15 –
Men’s Play-Offs & Finals, Cape Town Stadium, TBC.
IRELAND WOMEN’S SQUAD (Cape Town 7s – Friday, December 13 – Sunday, December 15):
Kathy Baker (Blackrock/Leinster)
Claire Boles (Railway Union/Ulster)
Megan Burns (Tullamore/Leinster)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (Railway Union/Munster)
Anna Doyle (DCU/Leinster)
Kate Farrell McCabe (Gorey/Leinster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemians/Munster)
Eve Higgins (Railway Union/Leinster)
Brittany Hogan (DCU/Ulster)
Emily Lane (Mallow/Munster)
Deirbhile Nic A Bhaird (Old Belvedere/Munster)
Hannah Tyrrell (Old Belvedere/Leinster).
CAPE TOWN IRELAND WOMEN’S MATCH SCHEDULE:
Pool C:
Friday, December 13 –
Ireland v USA, Cape Town Stadium, 2.22pm local time/12.22pm Irish time
Saturday, December 14 –
Ireland v Australia, Cape Town Stadium, 8.45am local time/6.45am Irish time
Ireland v England, Cape Town Stadium, 2.35pm local time/12.35pm Irish time
Sunday, December 15 –
Women’s Play-Offs & Finals, Cape Town Stadium, TBC.