Ireland Women’s Squad Named For Olympic Qualifiers

The Ireland Women’s Sevens squad to play in the first round of the European Olympic Qualifiers, which will take place in Kazan in Russia this weekend, has been named.

Munster's Claire Keohane and Louise Galvin are both named in the squad of 12 which includes four uncapped players at senior international sevens level – captain Lucy Mulhall, Stacy Flood, Eimear Considine and UL Bohemians' Galvin.

Ireland have been drawn in pool B with Spain, France and Ukraine.

Speaking ahead of the tournament, Anthony Eddy, IRFU Director of Rugby Sevens said: "We have the first test of two this weekend and we have no doubt we will face some tough competition. This is what we have trained for all year and look forward to getting out there and playing.”

Ireland Women's Sevens Squad (Round 1, European Olympic Qualifiers – Kazan, Russia, 13 – 14th June)

Claire Keohane (UL Bohemian/Munster)
Jenny Murphy (Old Belvedere/Leinster)
Lucy Mulhall (TID)* Capt
Stacey Flood (Railway Union/Leinster)*
Shannon Houston (Blackrock/Leinster)
Megan Williams (St. Mary's/Leinster)
Amee-Leigh Murphy Crowe (St Mary's/Leinster)
Katie Fitzhenry (Blackrock/Leinster)
Claire Molloy (Bristol/Connacht)
Eimear Considine (TID)*
Louise Galvin (UL Bohemian/Munster)*
Alison Miller (Portlaoise/Connacht)

Ireland Women's Sevens Fixtures:
Saturday, 13th June
11.28 (9.28 Irish Time) Spain
13.22 (11.22 Irish Time) France
16.22 (14.22 Irish Time) Ukraine

Sunday, 14th June
Play-offs

Women's Sevens Olympic Qualification Process for Rio 2016:
1. The top four teams in the World Series will automatically gain Olympic qualification. This will be decided at the final leg of the World Series being held on the 22 – 23 May in Amsterdam. The current top four standings are New Zealand, Canada, Australia and USA.

2. There will be six regional qualifiers held during June and July 2015. The winner from each of these will qualify for the Olympics.

3. The last qualification place will be awarded to the winner of the World Repechage tournament which will be held in 2016.

4. Brazil automatically qualifies as the host nation and gets the 12th spot.

Ireland's Olympic Qualification Process for Rio 2016:
1. As the Irish women's seven are not in the World Series the route to the Olympics is through the regional qualifies for Europe. This European Championship (2015) will be held over two consecutive weekends (Russia 13-14 June and France 20-21 June). The winner qualifies for the Olympics.

2. If Ireland does not win the European Championship (2015) qualification is possible in 2016 through the 2016 World Repechage. To qualify for the World Repechage the Irish must:
a. Finish as the runner up of the 2015 European Championship or
b. Finish in the top three of the European Repechage (Lisbon July 2015).

The winner of the 2016 World Repechage will qualify for the Olympics.